Frozen - Dark Moon
by RealDone Universe
Summary: [Post Film] Elsa the Queen of Arendelle holds an annual summit with the eight kingdoms of The Table, including Berk, Corona and Dunbroch, when the Red Lotus attack the Southern Isles. Learning of their plans to resurrect a Demon of the Moon from Jack Frost and the Guardians of Childhood, Elsa and co take the battle to them before an evil is unleashed upon the earth.
1. Enter the Terror

**ENTER THE TERROR**

LOW CHANTS loudened steadily, cold and repeated as men circled over a platform. At its centre lay a magic square encircled by four discs inscribed with moon decorations and hieroglyphics. A large man watched from a distance as the ceremony proceeded, seeing Elsa hung from a pillar at the centre of the grounds, her clothes tattered with a large lunar marking on her stomach.

* * *

"ONE YEAR ago, my father, King Fergus, went off to war with the Table." Silence fell in the room as Merida rose to her feet – her face filled with anger. "He left me, my three brothers and my mother, Queen Regent Elinor with a promise that he'd come back ... he didn't ..., but I was willing to accept it because sovereignty was brought back to the realm when we'd driven out the men that'd subjugated us for nearly a century." She looked around at the monarchs that sat around her. "We're free now, free from their control and we need to get justice for the families that lost their fathers on the battlefield, for the people that lost their lives. A price has to be paid for the crimes these men committed and the price is their heads."

Elsa's eyes roamed around the table, scanning each of the monarchs' faces. "What do the rest of you think about this?"

"The kingdom of Berk may have not been part of the war, but I know what it feels like to lose someone you care about." Hiccup rose to his feet. "We were at war at a man named Drago Bludvist and he, like Erhard, wanted control over dragons. He was wrong – we share a world that's ever changing and we have to adjust and live with them. Berk has joined the Table to help the fight and we must show the Order, wherever they are, that we are not afraid of them."

"Then the Table's made its verdict." Elsa sat back and crossed her legs. "Each of your kingdoms apprehended the Order's soldiers and have them in your custody. Arendelle will prepare them for a public execution in a month's time – handle your captives as you see fit."

Rapunzel nodded and glanced at the monarchs around her, sharing their uneasy expressions. "That's well and good, Elsa, but can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"What's that cat doing on your head?" Her brow rose as she pointed at a small blue feline that lay asleep in the Queen's hair.

"Finally." Balder groaned and shifted in his seat beside Elsa.

"Oh, this is Pam." Elsa smiled. "Say 'hi', Pam." The cat purred, but didn't wake up.

"Are pets really allowed here? You made me leave Toothless outside." Hiccup pointed at the dragon that peeped through the window behind him.

"Pam's not a pet – she's my child."

"What?" He raised his brow and turned to Balder who sat beside her.

"I dunno." He shook his head.

* * *

ELSA SMILED to herself as she saw Rapunzel and Eugene play with their child as they waited for their luggage to be hauled into their boat – turning to Balder who walked away from her before she could speak. Frowning at him, she moved across the dock, past the guards and servants of the other kingdoms as monarchs made their departures and walked up to the two, tickling the baby's chin.

"So, how is she?" She turned to her cousin.

"She's very active for her age." Rapunzel rocked the child.  
"Is she supposed to have that much hair?" Elsa raised her brow.

"Well, that's what's interesting about Kristi – I think I passed down my powers to her."

"Really?"

"This is how long my hair was when I was young. Wasn't red though, but still; it was this long."

"I'm glad to hear that." Elsa smiled then turned to the boat. "So, you'll be headin' back to Corona?"

"Yeah, but we're gonna be making a few stops on the way." Eugene pocketed his hands. "We still haven't made _our_ verdict on the captives' sentence."

"Well, I hope you make the right decision." Elsa patted his shoulder and embraced Rapunzel. "Be sure to write."

"I will." Rapunzel pulled back then frowned slightly. "But, are you gonna be carrying it around with you all the time?" she pointed at the cat on her head.

"Pam is not an 'it', she's my child." Elsa petted the feline.

"And what do you mean by that?" Eugene crossed his arms.

"She's just like Olaf; I summoned her by accident and now we can't stay apart. C'mon." She picked the cat off her head. "Isn't she cute?"

Rapunzel raised her brow and turned to Eugene who looked at it closely. "It could be dead."

"She's just sleepy." Elsa ran her hand down it's back.

"If you say so." Rapunzel shrugged and walked toward the vessel. "Bye." She waved at her.

Waving back at her, Elsa rubbed her nose against Pam and turned around, jerking back as she saw Astrid and Hiccup standing behind her. Sharing a confused look with her husband, the blonde laughed uneasily. "You weren't wrong, things are different around here."

"I told you so." Hiccup said under his breath.

"Oh, hi, you're the chief of Berk." Elsa offered a hand.

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III." He shook her hand.

"Okay." She smiled uneasily and shook Astrid's hand.

"Astrid Hofferson." She nodded and crossed her arms. "Yeah, my parents weren't too keen on making my name a nightmare to remember."

"Yeah, my father had issues with me." Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh-huh." Elsa smiled uneasily.

"Is something wrong?" Astrid raised her brow.

"Oh, no, it's nothing." Sweat ran down her forehead.

Hiccup frowned and looked down, seeing Toothless sniff around at Elsa's feet. "Toothless, what're you doing there?" He pulled him aside and laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, I kinda lost sight of him."

"No, it's my fault – I'm still getting used to dragons that are friendly is all." The dragon looked up at her curiously and she cleared her throat. "Anyway, I hope you're fitting in well around here."

"Well, this place isn't as ... lively as Berk is, but it's nice enough." Astrid shrugged.

"We actually wanted to see your powers first hand; we heard a lot about how you fought off the Order's forces."

"I, I wouldn't say I fought them off _all_ on my own, but –,"

"Don't be modest; you're an Ice Queen." Astrid punched her shoulder. "Bet you didn't even need the help of those soldiers."

"Yeah." Elsa nodded uneasily.

"So, you gonna show us how they work?" Hiccup's face lit up hopefully. Merida walked passed them then came over as she heard them speak.

"Sure." Elsa smirked.

* * *

ELSA CRASHED on the mat in a training hall and groaned, pushing herself up stiffly as Astrid, Hiccup and Merida watched from the sidelines. Slapping away Balder's hand as he offered to help her up, she stood and rubbed her shoulder.

"You know I can still feel pain, right?" She frowned.

"You told me not to hold back." He stepped back. "You're the one with powers here."

"But _I've_ been holding back!" She retorted.

"I didn't ask you to." He smirked and she growled.

"Is this supposed to be some special training of some kind?" Merida drew her bow. "Because I'm not impressed."

"This is a little underwhelming." Hiccup pocketed his hands.

"Well, this _is_ how I train." Elsa took a fighting stance. "Seeing as how powerful Erhard is, he might do something that takes my powers away. I wanna be ready for it." She wiped sweat off her brow. "Since all the soldiers are too afraid to spar with me, I had to ask him."

"And I clearly overestimated your capabilities." Balder chuckled. "We'll continue in ten minutes." He massaged his wrists and left the room.

"This isn't over yet." Elsa frowned and stretched out.

"Well, that was a bust." Astrid crossed her arms and turned to Merida. "Uh, what're you doing?"

"I just wanna find out if that cat is really alive." The redhead squinted as she aimed at the feline.

"Whoa, wait, stop!" Hiccup reached for her bow.

"Too late." She fired the arrow.

Elsa turned quickly as she heard the projectile fly past her. "Pam!"

"What!?" The cat yelped and jumped – transforming into a blue skinned girl with cat ears and a tail clad in an embroidered vest and skirt with knee-high sandals and mantle who fell on the floor and looked at the wall in surprise as the arrow was stuck in it.

"What're you doing!?" Elsa frowned as she walked up to Merida. "You wanna kill her!?"

"Trust me if, I did, I wouldn't missed." Merida waved her hand dismissively. "Aside from that, did that cat just turn into a woman?"

"So _that's_ what you meant by her being your child." Astrid looked at Pam in confusion.

"But, if she is, how's she the same age as you?" Hiccup raised his brow.

"Just wait until you see the snowmen." Balder re-entered the room with a towel slung over his shoulders. "You'll no longer be surprised."

"Okay, then let's see more." Merida strapped her bow over her torso. "You gonna show us your powers?"

Elsa turned to Balder with a pleading look and he shrugged. "Go ahead, you're in charge."

She smirked. "This is gonna be fun."

Jack Frost floated helplessly in a pool of water, the dark abyssal depths giving nothing but black as he slowly rose to the only source of light above him. He hit the surface, breaking through the ice in his ascent. The forest around him dimmed out of focus, his sight set only on the bright light of the moon that shone in the sky.

Blood spread across the face of the moon, engulfing the white light and coating it in crimson. The blue skies reddened in its unearthly glow, the once beautiful night turned grim. The surface of the moon slowly changed, bumps showing as the contours of a humanoid figure slowly formed.

Having a female physique, the being had deep blue skin, her flowing raven hair floating behind her and her lower body tapering out into a mermaid tail. Wearing straps across her breasts, she wore gauntlets that tapered out into a large claw on her middle finger – her hazel eyes striking fear into him as she reached out to him.

"Don't be afraid of your destiny, Jack Frost; it's inevitable." She smiled at him as she swerved around. "Your power will do wonders for me, so just accept it." She held his face. "Fear will be your enemy."

* * *

JACK FROWNED as he sat back against the cold cathedra of his castle – the creaking of the vacant halls deepening his sense of isolation. Red spread through the ice ground slowly, up its walls and creating stalactites that grew toward him. A knock came at the door and jolted him out of his seat as he shook his head.

"Who is it?" The icicles shrank back and he blinked repeatedly – his eyes flickering crimson.

"It's Tooth."

Running his hand down his face, he moved across the room and opened the door, seeing her standing on other side. "Oh, hey, what brings you here?"

"Just came to see what you were doing." Tooth flew past him, entering the foyer. "You've been gone for a long time and I no longer see you during my days off." She looked around the building. "You started them."

"Well, I've been busy." He closed the door.

"Busy? That's not the Jack I know, spending time _working_." She crossed her arms. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." He shook his head.

"But you said you were working." Her brows stitched. "Something's wrong, Jack –you can tell me."

"I'm fine Tooth, I just wanna be alone for a little while." He walked down the aisle toward his chair.

"In this castle? You're the type of person that hated restrictions." She followed him. "You even avoided the Workshop cuz it was too crowded." She moved up to him, halting him. "You loved children."

"I – I still do."

"But you _haven't_ been at the park for a _long time_. Thought of all people, you'd have gone to see Tom since you'd befriended him."

"He's still my friend." He walked on and she held his shoulder, stopping him.

"Jack, what's going on with you? You're so quiet, you spend time alone, nobody sees you unless they come here and when they do you drive them away. It's so bad even Bunny came over to see you. Something's troubling you and you need to talk to someone about it." Worry etched on her face. "I'm here for you."

Jack sifted his mind and looked into her eyes, seeing the worry in them. "I've gotta go somewhere." He walked toward the door.

"Where're you going?" She followed him.

"Don't follow me." Jack flew out of the building.

"Jack!" She ran up to the doorway, watching him as he flew towards the horizon.

* * *

"AH, THIS is the life." Olaf sat back in a hot tub, sipping hot tea under the hot sun at the beach clad in a black leather jacket.

Kristoff raised his brow as he watched the snowman slowly melt, turning to Anna who walked up to him clad in a green, thigh-high, one-piece swimsuit. "I think Elsa's gonna need a new Olaf."

"Oh, he'll be fine." She smiled then faltered as she saw him melt. "I think." She frowned slightly. "At least his flurry's still there."

"It's melting."

"Dammit, Olaf." She moved up to him and lifted him gingerly, feeling the snow seep through her fingers as she put him down. "Didn't I warn you about this?"

"About what? The beach?" His carrot nose slid down his face.

"The heat." She pushed it up. "Just because you have a flurry doesn't mean you're invulnerable."

"Fine." He huffed.

"Hey, you know what, why don't I get you a hot chocolate? How's that sound, huh?" She patted his head.

"That sounds wonderful!" He jumped gleefully.

"Then go get cleaned up." She smiled as he ran off excitedly, moving up to Kristoff who sat on a beach chair. Looking at the people moving about the beach, she leaned back and sighed – her eyes set on the kingdom of Corona that blurred in the horizon. "You know, I could get used to this."

"Yeah." He sipped on his drink. "We should be doing this more often."

"It's too bad the Sky Lantern thing doesn't happen a lot. It sure is better than Arendelle, but that's what I really wanted to see. I hate it when I don't get what I want." She crossed her arms, pouting.

"Just like he will when you don't give him his hot chocolate." He pointed at him as he tried to pull the wooden tub along the sand, falling back and landing near Sven who looked at him excitedly.

"He's gonna melt." She stifled her voice.

"Well, you told him you would." He shrugged. "Give him a warm one then."

"Yeah, sure." She glanced at Olaf and left, moving up to a man at a food cart. "Hot chocolate."

"Hot drinks at the beach? Queen Rapunzel wasn't joking about you – you have interesting tastes." He sorted through his shelf.

"I wouldn't say that." She laughed uneasily and he chuckled as he prepared her order.

Leaning against the waggon, she looked around and sighed to herself, looking at her feet when fire spread out on the ground. The sand quickly went ablaze, the furnace racing toward Kristoff. "Kristoff, look out!" She reached out to him and a blast shot of her hand, burning him. "No!"

Kristoff screamed in agony and collapsed, writhing as he burned to a crisp along with Olaf who melted instantly. Anna fell to her knees as she watched the inferno rise and consume the people around her. She looked at her hands and they shook tremulously – deep crimson flowing through them as she felt her blood thicken.

Two feet stepped up to her and she fell back, gasping for air as she backed up in fear. A woman walked toward her slowly, her body an exact replica with blood red hair and dark eyes set soullessly on her. "I grow impatient." She picked her by her neck and pinned her against the cart.

"You're not real." Anna choked. "You're not real."

"Oh, I am very real." She growled, tightening her grip. " _This_ is _very real_!" The fires roared around them, vaporizing the sea. " _We_ are all that is real!" She pulled her closer, her fangs protruding. "We will burn." Her body came alight.

"Anna!" Kristoff yelled.

The princess gasped, blinking repeatedly as she looked around and took in her surroundings. The fires disappeared, revealing everything intact with her husband's hands clasped on her shoulders. She looked down at hers and frowned, unclenching her fist as she'd cracked the wood of the cart.

"Anna, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"No, something's wrong." His brows stitched. "I kept calling you and it's like you weren't even here."

"I ... I just didn't." She cleared her throat. "I just didn't hear you – I'm okay."

"Anna, this has been happening for five months now." He stepped back. "You barely eat, you're quiet, you're ... this." He gestured to her. "Today was the first time you came outside in a week and I thought we were having a breakthrough –,"

"I said I am okay!" She smashed her fist down on the cart, breaking it to pieces. She looked at her hand and closed it, fighting back tears as Kristoff and the merchant jerked back in surprise. "I ... I need to be alone." She walked away from them, leaving Kristoff watching her in confusion.

* * *

TOOTHLESS SNIFFED Pam curiously, the feline pushing him. "Okay, stay back, Fido. I'm not your dinner."

"Oh no, he's not gonna eat you." Hiccup petted the dragon fondly. "Right, buddy?" The animal gurgled.

"So, how does it work? This whole ..." Astrid gestured around the cat.

"Oh, this? Exercise, good grooming, well-endowed." Pam smiled smugly.

"She means you becoming human." Merida huffed and looked away, glancing at her own chest.

"Oh, _that_." Pam chuckled and took her humanoid form, making Toothless yelp. "Same thing." She smirked.

"Are you really Elsa's –,"

"Might as well be." Pam shrugged, cutting Hiccup off.

Merida sat back on the park chair and turned to Elsa as she entered the garden, garbed in an aqua jacket, blue shirt, trousers and black boots. "So, you ready now?"

"Let me show you." The queen held her hands out, charging an icy aura through them.

Spraying ice out on the grass before her, Elsa erected statues of dragons and soldiers around them, littering them over the garden. She sent out jets of ice, shattering two sculptures and ran onward, shooting three more – gaining Hiccup, Astrid and Merida's attention as she ran across the area.

Thrusting out her palm, she tossed snow at an ice dragon and it exploded into a ball of spikes that ball disintegrated and sprayed all around in icicles that ran through the statues around her. Stamping her foot on the ground, she cracked the icy floor, summoning discs that flew around, slicing the sculptures and crashing into each other, leaving snow falling around her.

Breathing heavily, she turned to the others and smirked. "What do you think?"

"That was awesome!" Astrid walked up to her.

"The tales do you justice, I'm impressed." Merida crossed her arms.

"Could've been flashier, but I don't wanna be picky, so." Hiccup shrugged.

"Told you it'd be fun." Elsa grinned. "I can't wait for you to see Anna; she controls fire and –,"

"My Queen, I apologize for the interruption." A guard walked up to them, turning Merida. "The ships are ready for your departure."

"Okay. " She turned to Elsa. "Maybe next time. See ya around." She left with the guard.

"Well, we have to get going too." Astrid walked passed Elsa. "Arendelle's a nice place." She headed out of the gardens, calling Stormfly to her side.

"Berk will do whatever it can to strengthen the Table." Hiccup shook Elsa's hand. "We're on your side." He called Toothless over, walking away with him.

"Be sure to write when you can." She called out and they waved at her as they mounted the animals and flew off.

* * *

MURMURS SPREAD through the crowds as wood creaked – a large man clad in black walking across a podium in the middle of town square in the Southern Isles, moving up to the a lever on its edge. He turned to his left and looked at a column of soldiers of the Nine Stars with ropes tied around their necks, awaiting their execution. King Hans watched from across from them, standing amongst his advisors and before his people as tension stilled the air.

A councilman walked up to the platform, unrolling a scroll before him and clearing his throat as he read out. "You stand here today charged with high treason and are to be executed for your war crimes against the Table."

His voice muffled in Han's mind as he continued, his eyes roaming the town as he drifted into deep thought and wondered what else Erhard planned if the Nine Stars indeed planned for the war to happen months ago. Clamouring jerked him out of his thoughts as the people looked up to the sky in a panic, raising his head as well and joining them in awestricken shock. A fleet of black airships flew in the skies above, overshadowing the town square and hovering above them, instilling a deathly silence.

"What in Odin's name is that?" He squinted as his mouth fell agape..

The ships' doors swung open and men garbed in red and black hooded robes jumped out, crashing onto the ground thunderously. Hans looked all around him in terror as he felt the earth tremble – buildings around him slowly developing fissures as they collapsed. The townspeople scattered in a panic, starting a stampede as they hastily vacated the area, moving past the attackers who ignored them.

The robed men rose to their feet and turned to Hans, quickly charging at him and drawing the guards who unsheathed their blades and ran up to them. One of the attackers sped toward a soldier and skidded to a halt, throwing his arms to his right, summoning a chunk of a wall and smashing it against him. Jumping over the debris, he dove down and thrust his fist against the ground, erecting pillars of earth from beneath remaining guards and sending them airborne.

Hans' hand shivered as he clung to the hilt of his sword, his eyes darting around and taking in the havoc as half the street stood in shambles, gritting his teeth and sheathing the weapon. A robed man stamped his foot before him and rocks came up in a line that rushed toward the podium, destroying it from beneath and throwing Hans and the executioner to the ground, simultaneously freeing the soldiers of the Nine Stars. Fighting the searing pain, Hans pushed himself up and ran on in a limp, closing his eyes in grief as he looked away from people trapped under the heavy debris of their homes.

Manoeuvring through the wreckage, he mounted a horse of a dead royal soldier, racing away as the robed men engaged the rest of the kingdoms forces. Looking over his shoulders, he watched in fear as the attackers easily defeated his guards, manipulating the earth, water and air and summoning fire to decimate them. He made it to the castle and got off the animal, pushing a gate open and entering the palace grounds.

Racing through the corridors of the courtyard, he moved speedily toward a corner and skidded to a stop as he saw a robed man enter the hall. Moving swiftly, Hans rolled out of the way as the man shot a fireball at him, quickly getting to his feet and driving his sword through him. Dislodging the weapon he continued on and entered the palace, running through a mass of maids and guards that stormed out of the building.

"My King, come with me –," A guard moved up to him when a massive boulder crashed through a window nearby and crushed him, bouncing off the floor and landing against the wall ahead.

Knocked back by the force of the impact, Hans scrambled to his feet and headed up the staircase, glancing behind him as he saw robed men move toward the building. Running down the halls, he entered his bedroom and went to the wardrobe, dragging a locker out and opening it hastily. He fished out a small box and looked at it solemnly, the kingdom's sigil deepening his sense of despair as his world was falling apart. He got to his feet and headed for the door when an explosion jolted him, drawing his attention as he turned to the window and saw a billow of smoke rise in the distance.

* * *

THE THICK black smoke slowly subsided, unveiling a gaping hole in the palace gates as three robed men entered the grounds and pushed back their hoods, looking at the decimation around them. Their leader, Niu, a man with long ponytailed black hair, a scarred face and a full beard walked ahead of them; his tall, lean form lain within robes that folded at his forearms and knees into arm bracelets and boots. A large bald man, Xiaosi stood next to him, garbed in a sleeveless cloak and large trousers that showed his bandaged arms and bare feet. Guozhi, a tall, slim man with long white hair and a beard remained behind them, looking around carefully as Ai, a raven woman with short hair, a round face decorated with Chinese characters along the left side of her face walked passed him, moving up to Niu who remained where he was.

A soldier swung his blade at him and he smacked it aside, grabbing him by the collar. "Where is your king?"

"I'd rather die." The soldier frowned, struggling to break free from his strong grip.

"I believe you." Niu charged electricity through his metal bracelets and charred his body, tossing it aside and turning to the others. "Make sure he doesn't escape."

* * *

RUNNING THROUGH a damaged marketplace wearing a dusty robe, Hans looked around hastily and sped on, nearly bumping into a group of royal guards who came into the area on horseback. "My liege, the ships are docked at the port."

"Good, I have to get to Arendelle." Hans moved toward a guard who had a free horse attached to his own, mounting it.

"Split up and draw their attention away from the docks!" The soldier turned to the others who parted and moved down three pathways behind them, one of them heading down to a cobblestoned street that led to the docks in the distance.

* * *

NIU TOSSED a soldier against a wall and looked around the destroyed palace foyer to a robed man who ran up to him. "Sir, we intercepted three royal convoys heading toward the woods, but the king wasn't among them."

"It was distraction; they're heading for the docks." Niu frowned and sifted his mind, looking to the others. "Head there quickly and take as many men with you." He ran down the hall, leading them into the courtyard with him. "They can't have gone far."

* * *

BILLOWS OF smoke rose from the kingdom in the distance and Hans watched from the upper deck of his ship, lowering his head in anger and clenching his fist as his advisor came to his side him. "We had no choice, but to leave the kingdom, Hans; we were not prepared to fight people with magic."

"I know." He huffed and stepped back, pacing around. "I just can't believe it's happening. Who were they? The Nine Stars never attacked like this for no reason and even the power they used was so different."

"It could be possible that their motives have changed; we still know nothing about them."

"No, something else is going on." Hans stroked his chin, frowning slightly. "They had those flying machines and I've never seen anything like them. The flying knight Elsa met called Tony Stark was right, the times have indeed changed."

"Whatever is happening, trust that justice will prevail – this isn't over yet."

"No it's not over as long as we get to Arendelle." Hans leaned on the guardrail and looked on at the raging waters. "I need to bring this to Elsa."

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Welcome to the Universe! Lately, we've been having issues with keep regular updates and – hopefully – with the start of this book, we'll get back on track and possibly get back to weekly instalments.

This time around, we'd like to venture into different territories and storylines and make some changes to the characters, Elsa in particular. We'd also like to build the world we've set up a little better by dealing with more magic, action and history of the main cast we've had for the past two books. We're also going to give focus to additional characters, those from Brave, How to Train Your Dragon and Rise of the Guardians and OCs, so we hope you'll enjoy that to.

We're very excited for this book and we'd like to know what you think in a review. Thanks for reading.


	2. Dark Side of the Moon

**Dark Side of the Moon**

FIRES CRACKLED in Ai's ears as her feet crunched against the sand, her eyes taking in the streets in the distance – the tubes of smoke deepening her frown as she moved over to Niu. Moving past a soldier's corpse, she shook her head and cleared her mind, quickly walking toward the robed man as he finished speaking to one of his subordinates.

"Alright." Niu huffed and turned to Ai. "Go after him."

"Shi." She nodded and headed off to the docks.

* * *

THE WATERS rocked the boat slightly as Hans moved across the upper deck, bypassing some crewmen entering into his office, Locking the door behind him, he walked up to his shelf and got the box out and opened it, looking at what laid within fondly. He sat at his desk and fished out a pendant, holding it closely and smiling as he reassured himself of their situation.

"It's not over." He clenched it when the room shook.

Coming out of his office, he looked around the upper deck, seeing the crewmen walk around in a frenzy, each of them looking at the water below. Moving up to a guardrail, he looked at the ocean, seeing that the water around the ship was frozen solid. The vessel jerked as a large wave shot towards it, destroying the deck as Ai crashed onto the ship.

She wove water around her, whipping two soldiers aside and raised her hand, summoning large spikes that broke through the ship's hall and killed most of the soldiers and crewmen. A soldier swung a sword at her and she sidestepped, grabbing him by his neck and forging an icicle, ready to stab him.

"Wait!" Hans drew her attention, halting her as he approached. "Let him go! Take me instead!" She raised her brow in surprise and he walked towards her. "Why're you attacking my people? Why do you cause so much pointless death?" She frowned and looked away from him, sifting her mind. His brows stitched as he looked at her. "Why're you doing this? I can't believe a person can just be cruel and just do it because they want to." She let go of the soldier and backed away from him. "I can see the sadness in your eyes – you don't want to do this?" She looked up at him and frowned as he got closer. "You don't have to."

The spikes slowly melted as the ice around them turned back to water, letting the ship go back afloat. She looked at him once more and water erupted through the floor of the deck, submerging the vessel.

* * *

COLD WINDS blew into the foyer of Jack's castle as the door slid open, the Guardian in question descending to the floor and walking onward slowly. Creaks and clanging echoed through the halls as he moved on, bypassing the cathedra that slowly turned red. Shaking his head out of the apparition, he flew on and moved into a hall and went into the lounge, swooping down and sitting on a wooden chair.

Setting his staff beside him, he looked around the room and sighed, taking in the items placed around the floor. His eyes roamed over the objects in the room; snow globes, a reed basket, blocks of wood, a pile of hay and a pair of brown roller skates. His brows stitched as he stood and moved over to the skates, lifting them slowly and rubbing his thumb against the fabric, sighing miserably.

"What're you doing here?" He set them down and rose to his feet, turning to Tooth who flew passed him.

The fairy looked over the things lining the wall, stopping before a snow globe that she picked up. "You remember that kid you always hung around with when we first met?"

"Jamie Benet." He frowned slightly.

"I just went to his place today, he's fourteen." She chuckled. "Oh, how much time passes."

"Yeah; I think he was eleven back when Pitch made his return." He sat down.

"Yeah." She stood up and set the globe back down. "He was so enthralled with the lore of the Guardians and now he's moved on – studying ecology."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"You changed his life, Jack." She turned to him. "He was a lonely kid back then; everyone thought he was a freak, but by helping his friends believe, you changed who he'd have become."

"Tooth, I don't wanna talk about this." He moved over to the window.

"Jack, there's a lot of good you could do in the lives of children; you taught _us_ how much we needed to spend time with them, how important it is to be there for them. They _need_ you, Jack."

"I'm not abandoning them." He frowned.

"You _are_. By never showing your face, their belief in you, in us will die." She moved up to him. "Of all of us, you're the one who can spend real time with them."

"I'm done talking about this." He opened the window.

"And where are you going? You're going to run away again?"

"I don't know."

"Stop driving everyone away!"

"I'm not!"

Tooth's brows stitched when something caught her eye, making her look out the window. "The signal." Jack turned in the direction she was looking and saw the Northern Lights.

* * *

NORTH, BUNNY and Sandy stood around the Guardian moondial, looking up to the opening in the ceiling as the light bled in. The doors swung open and Jack and Tooth moved up to them, the latter looking up to the sky. "What's going on?"

"A message is coming through." North gestured to the moondial.

The moonlight moved slowly over the floor and up to the moondial, illuminating the square and brining up a circular shadow, morphing into the shape of a mermaid. "Is that a mermaid?" Bunny raised his brow.

"Is that supposed to be the person we're dealing with now? Aren't we supposed to be preparing for Pitch?" Tooth frowned.

"Yes, but this? This is just as bad – if not worse." North walked off.

"Worse? How's a walking fish worse?" Bunny chuckled.

"That _fish_ is no joke – might be even more dangerous than Pitch." North moved up to a shelf and picked up a book.

"More dangerous than Pitch?" Tooth raised her brow.

"It's an ancient force that's existed for centuries. " Placing it on his desk, opening it to its centre. "The Moon Spirit Lamia."

"Moon Spirit? I thought the Man in the Moon was the Moon Spirit."

"Well, there was another." North flipped to a page showing a Ying Yang symbol. "For many years, there've been many spirits that resided in the moon, some on the light side and the dark side."

"The dark side? What like Transformers or something?" Bunny crossed his arms.

"Unlike that movie, what I said before is no joke." North flipped the page again, showing a map. "Over a century ago, there were four nations; the Fire, Earth, Water and Air nations – nations with people that could control the elements. The Fire nation sought to subjugate the other four nations by any means and that included destroying the moon which the Water Nation derived power from. There were two powerful spirits that resided in koi fish and a Fire Nation General named Zhao killed them, believing it would destroy the moon forever – he was wrong." He turned again, moving to an image of the moon with a shadow. "By killing the spirits, he broke the seal they linked their lives to."

"And that was what held Lamia?" Bunny raised his brow.

"Without the two spirits, Man in Moon was unable to seal Lamia off completely and had to do so every few decades on earth to keep her at bay. He picked us, the Guardians, to prepare for the time when she'd awaken once more and today is that day."

"Well, why does he need us this time? He's been handling it on his own all this time, so what makes things different now?"

"The fact that he's contacted us means that she broke the seal long ago and has regained her power – none of us can take her own alone, so we need to do this together."

"So, where is she then?" Jack raised his brow. North looked up to the opening in the roof as the light receded and turned to the globe, seeing a series of islands glow.

"Where's that?" Tooth moved up to it.

"They're island countries around Eurostralia." North squinted. "The brightest light is in ... Arendelle – that must be where her energy's strongest."

"Arendelle?"

* * *

SUNLIGHT SEEPED calmly into the bedroom, bringing a frown to Anna's face as she lay against the headboard of her bed. Her eyes were set straight ahead, squinted thin though unfocussed on the wooden floor – dilating upon seeing two feet walk up to her. She jerked back and sighed, gasping for breath as she realized Kristoff stood before her.

"Phew, you scared me." She placed a hand on her chest. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Um, I didn't – I was taking a shower." Kristoff frowned. "Remember?"

"Oh, right." Her brows stitched as she watched him move toward the wardrobe – her gaze trailing along his toned back.

"So, I was thinking after what happened three days ago and I've decided to call off the vacation." Kristoff sifted through his clothes, picking out a pair of trousers.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it's not doing you any good. I can see you forcing yourself to have fun and pretend you're enjoying this."

"No, no, Kristoff, don't call it off." Anna got off the bed, moving up to him. "You and Olaf are having so much fun –,"

"But _you_ aren't." He turned to her. "This was about getting different scenery, going somewhere other than Arendelle to clear your head and it's not working."

"No, I'm fine, Kristoff." She stood before him. "I just needed some time to think things through." She smiled. "I'm fine."

"You sure? You kinda slipped back after last time."

"Well, it took a little while, but, everything's okay now." She placed her hand on his chest.

"Okay?" He raised his brow as she leaned into him. "Is this you ... trying to seduce me?"

"Is it bad?"

"Yeah."

"Is it working?" She smirked.

"Yeah." He nodded.

Pulling him by his closer, she pressed her lips against his and pinned him against the wardrobe, clinging to his towel as his hands ran along her body. Grabbing the hem of her blouse, he lifted it off and massaged her breast, picking up her leg and moving over to the bed. He kissed her deeply and disrobed her, moving down to her neck and peppered her body with kisses and drawing gasps from her as he ran his hand up her thigh.

* * *

ANNA RAN her hand through Kristoff's hair, smiling at him fondly as he drifted off into deep sleep. Rising from the bed, she draped herself in her morning robe and went into the bathroom, moving up to the sink and looking into the mirror. She drew out water from a basket nearby and began washing her hands, jerking back as she saw blood flowing out.

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she shook her head and continued pouring, seeing water stream out. She disrobed and moved toward the tub, stepping in and jerking back as it cold. Placing her hand in it, she heated it up and stepped in, submerging herself. She sighed and laid back, frowning as she saw blood around her, huffing and closing her eyes deeply, opening it and seeing it remain unchanged.

"It's not real, it's not real." She clung to her head and chanting to herself as she shut her eyes. She opened them and saw her blood coat her body, turning to the wall and seeing more splattered over it, forming the word 'destroy'. "No, I'm not doing that!" Fire rose from the floor around her and she frowned, turning back to the wall. "You're not taking my life away! You can't control me –," She choked and fell to her knees, fighting for her breath as she clung to her neck and clawed at the tub. "Leave me alone!"

She screamed and spat fire out, spraying it around the room and growling, looking around her as it went up in flames. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes once more, holding out her hand and absorbing the fire, snuffing it out. She climbed out and grabbed the towel, wiping her face and moving past the mirror, sighing in relief as she was covered in water. She exiting the room and closed the door behind her, leaving a fire that rose in the corner of the room – a pair of red eyes appearing in the furnace.

* * *

ELSA GRUNTED as she hit the mat in the training hall, rising to her feet as Balder walked around her. "You're cheating." She groaned.

"I'm merely playing on your weakness; your powers." He paced around her.

"My powers?" She frowned.

"You rely on them too much – isn't the point to find a way to fight _without_ them?"

"I'm not using ice here and that's the only reason you're winning here."

"Prove it."

"You can't be serious – you'd die."

"Let's find out."

"You asked for it." She took a stance, firing ice at him.

Balder sidestepped from it. "Your powers are limited by your fighting capability." He dodged another shot. "If your swings are predictable, your shots will be too." He jumped away from a blast. "Treat it as an extension of your arm." He moved toward her, manoeuvring through each jet swiftly. "I've trained myself to dodge projectiles and yours are just the same." He got up to her and held her hands. "Your aim is at a child's level."

"Whoa, don't hold back." She frowned and stepped back.

"I'm stating facts."

"Well, it doesn't matter cuz I can just cover a thousand kilometres in snow – tell me _that_ can be dodged." She smirked.

"If you did, you'd be leaving yourself wide open for strike and suppose someone _did_ dodge the attack, what'd you do then?"

"I'm still strong." She kicked a chair, knocking it through a wall and into the hall and shrugged.

"But Erhard could be _stronger_." He held her shoulders. "And you need to be prepared for that."

"And all that magic mambo jumbo?" She raised her brow.

"Baby steps." He stepped back. "Let's go and this time, try to take me down barehanded."

Giving a wide smirk, she took a stance and held her fists before her, frowning slightly as he held his hands behind his back. She threw two punches and he dodged them, grabbing her wrist and flipping her over. She hit the mat and quickly rolled to her feet, bouncing around and frowning as she took her stance again. She punched at him and smiled as he dodged, elbowing him in the chest and tripping him with a swift kick to the ankle, pinning him to the floor.

"Is that better?"

"Still at a child's level." He shrugged.

"Oh, shut up." She chuckled and sat astride on his waist. "You were always against the idea of having any. Why?"

"Any what?"

"Children."

"I have my reasons."

"You just need some convincing." She bent down and kissed him, slowly and affectionately, stopping to exchange breaths and leaving him hanging as she got up and took her stance. "C'mon, round four."

"And you say I'm cheating?" He got up.

"Let's go." She took her stance and smirked.

* * *

"WE'RE HOME!" Olaf disembarked the ship, holding up a tanning tray to his face. "Good old Arendelle." He toppled over and melted, becoming a puddle on the dock.

"And there he goes." Anna huffed as she got off with Kristoff.

"Well, at least he lasted the whole vacation." He pocketed his hands. "Doubt Elsa will be happy having to constantly summon him, especially that his memory's wiped clean each time." He chuckled. "Heh, he actually melted the flurry."

"I think he's addicted to heat." She stepped aside as a servant lifted luggage passed her.

"And getting outta shape."

"I can still hear you, y'know?" Olaf's voice muffled. "I think – should I be able to?"

Anna chuckled and shook her head, sighing when her eyes dilated in shock. "Oh my God, Kristoff, look!"

"Hans!" Kristoff turned swiftly and jerked back in shock as she saw Hans lay unconscious on the beach.

"We need to get help!" She ran to the guardrail and hopped off. A fiery pair of eyes watching from within the ship, shrouded in shadow.

* * *

HANS WINCED as he lay upon a bed in the dim infirmary, nodding to the doctor who left the room as Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Balder entered the room and moved up to him, the queen moving fastest as she came to his side. "Hans, are you okay?"

"Yes." He winced as he pushed himself up. "Just a little bruised."

"What happened?" She sat on the bed.

"The Southern Isles has been invaded."

"What?!" Anna's eyes dilated in shock.

"How's that possible?" Kristoff raised his brow.

"When did this happen?" Balder frowned.

"A couple of days ago. These men, wizards, attacked us and killed all the soldiers and took the city in hours – they were hunting for me." Hans grunted. "They were like Elsa and Anna; they controlled the elements, but it was different – like they were natural." He frowned. "It's like it was part of their fighting; I don't know how to explain it."

"That doesn't explain how you ended up on the beach." Balder's frowned deepened.

Hans scowled and sat up straighter. "There was this woman who controlled water that attacked my ship as we tried to escape and she sunk it – I don't know how I got here."

"So, the Southern Isles was completely taken over in less than a day?" Anna's face whitened in disbelief. "How's that possible?"

"I know it's hard to believe, but that's what happened." Hans sighed. "There was an army of them and they had these ... flying ships."

"Flying ships? What do you mean?" Elsa sat up.

"They weren't exactly like ships, they were like flying ... metal ... whales."

"What?" Kristoff raised his brow.

"I don't know what to call them! But they were nothing like I'd ever seen, just like the flying knight Elsa met."

"So, he was right." Elsa sifted her mind.

"If they're from the future or the past or whatever, how're we gonna fight them?" Anna stroked her chin.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that my people are at the mercy of these men and I can't abandon them." Hans frowned. "I need your help, Elsa."

"And we're going to give it to you." Elsa stood and headed for the door.

"Where're you going?" Balder held her arm, halting her.

"I'm going to get Commander Eyvindr to scramble our troops – we have to retake the Southern Isles."

"No, we can't."

"Why not?"

"We'll be sentencing our soldiers to death if we do this." He turned her to him. "The Southern Isles was just defeated in hours and their army is just as powerful as ours. We'll be facing an army of powered people."

"I can create an army as well."

"And for all we know, so can each and every single one of those men." Balder frowned. "We'd get slaughtered out there."

"So, what do we do?"

"We should fortify defences find a way to defeat them if they come for us." Balder looked to the others. "We'll assemble the Table before we make our next move – if we can get their help, the help of Berk and their dragons, we can save that kingdom."

Elsa sifted her thoughts and sighed. "I'll prepare the letter."

"I'll speak with Commander Eyvindr." Balder turned to Hans. "We'll retake the city, King Hans."

"Thank you, King Balder." Hans nodded.

Elsa opened the door and found a royal guard on the other end, nearly hitting him. "My queen, we have ... visitors."

"Visitors?"

* * *

MURMURS OF shock and amusement spread through the crowds as Tooth, Jack, North, Bunny and Sandy walked through the Arendelle toward the palace. "Couldn't we have sent an email or something to this place? Cuz I don't think they get visitors much." Jack jerked back as he saw a cold, steely scowl of a mother who pulled her daughter away from him.

"How is this possible exactly?" Tooth leaned into North. "We're in 2016, but it's like we've been pushed back to 1840."

"Well, it's June, so anything's possible, right?" Bunny gulped as he walked passed a greyhound.

"This is because of the convergence – did everybody feel it? How many times must I explain it?" North raised his brow.

"Sudden rip in space time in San Fransokyo opened a portal to a different dimension in November 2014 that caused different universe to combine? That's _definitely_ something I _completely_ understand." Jack shook his head.

"Yeah, my wormholes are as far as complex goes for me, mate." Bunny fished out his boomerangs, pointing at the dog warningly as it growled.

"Are we seriously talking about science right now? You know I don't like talking about that confusing stuff." Tooth crossed her arms and Sandy nodded.

"As confusing as a talking rabbit, Elsa the boy, a fairy and Sandman?" Pam raised her brow as she sat atop Elsa's head.

"Said the talking cat." Bunny sheathed his weapons.

"Touché." Pam smirked. "Santa, _that_ I can understand."

Elsa, Balder, Anna, Kristoff and Hans stood before the group in the middle of the street – each of them manacled by confusion. Elsa brows stitched as she approached them. "Um, who're you?"

North cleared his throat. "Hello, I'm North, but you may know me as Santa and these are my colleagues, Jack Frost, Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and Sandman and we're the Guardians of Childhood."

"What?" Pam raised her brow.

"The Guardians of ... Childhood?" Anna's brows stitched.

"Yes, our job is to protect children and we are on just such a mission as we speak." North frowned.

* * *

SPLAYING A book atop a table, North stepped back and continued his explanation in Elsa's office as the others read its contents. "The Red Lotus?" Elsa looked up to him.

"They're a cult comprised of people from the four nations – Earth, Water, Fire and Air – and they're trying to awaken Lamia." He crossed his arms.

"That's it!" Hans pointed at an insignia on the page. "That's the symbol the men who attacked the Southern Isles had."

"Then they're already on the move." North paced around. "We have to make our move immediately – we can't let them get their hands on Lamia or the world will be in grave danger."

Elsa looked to Balder who nodded and she frowned determinedly. "We're going to Corona."

Pam licked her paw repeatedly, purring as she started kissing it when something caught her eye in the corner of the room, prompting her to jump off Elsa's head. The voices of the others diminished out of earshot as she approached her object of interest – her brows stitching in curiosity as she drew closer. A pair of red, fiery eyes squinted out of the dark shadows, focussed solely on Anna.

"Uh, who're you?"

"Oh, good gracious, you've found me!" A black cat with red eyes and red markings jumped out of the corner, its heavy armour of similar design weighing on him as he stood on his hind legs, wielded a sword and looked away dramatically. "Now my perfect cover has been blown."

"... Huh?"

He turned to her and gasped, scooping her and holding her back as if they were in dance. "Senorita, I have never seen such a vision of beauty in my entire life. Know this, that I would lay down my life for you, mi amore."

Her eyes drooped. "Huh?"

"Um, Pam, who's your friend?" Elsa turned to her.

"But, alas, I have dedicated my life already." The black cat dropped Pam and took a heroic pose. "I am Sephiroth, the mightiest warrior of Muspelheim and I swear on my breath to protect Anna till the day I die."

Kristoff raised his brow and crossed his arms, sifting his mind. "Another Pam?"

"Oh my God." Anna groaned and shook her head, taking a seat when the door swung open.

Olaf waddled into the room wearing a sweater. "Um, guys, I was just from the kitchen and I –,"

"Santa Maria, it's the devil from hell's kitchen!" Sephiroth jumped behind Pam who groaned as he whimpered.

* * *

RAPUNZEL PACED around her office worriedly, moving to and fro passed Eugene who stroked his chin. "The Southern Isles has one of the Table's strongest armies – how did they get defeated like that?"

"I dunno, but we need to get to the bottom of this." He frowned when a knock came at the door.

"Come in." She raised her head and a royal guard entered the room.

"Your Grace ..."

* * *

MOVING DOWN the dim, stony halls of Corona's military living quarters, Rapunzel and Eugene were led passed soldiers who mumbled to each other in surprise – each sending a look of shock their way. The soldier before them stopped before a room and turned to them, sighing and opening the door slowly as he let them in. the Queen gasped in terror and Eugene jerked back.

"We found him mere moments ago."

"My God."

A soldier's corpse lay on the ground before them, its skin lacerated and ripped apart along the exposed parts of its armour that lay in shambles. Its flesh was without blood, dry and wrapped tightly around the bones with ruptured eyes and contorted limbs that jutted out and bent inward. Rapunzel screamed and saw a Ying and Yang symbol carved into the forehead, quickly turning away and hugging Eugene tightly, crying into his shoulder in horror.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the Universe!**

 **We hope you enjoyed this chapter and are eager to see more because we're determined more than ever to getting back into weekly updates like we used to do. Like I'd said before, we'd like to delve more into other characters and facets of the story we didn't cover as much, so we're excited to get into more realms as we dive deeper into the story. Please tell us what you think in a review or leave some questions there. Thanks for reading.**


	3. Memories and Voices

**Memories and Voices**

JACK'S BROWS stitched as his eyes trailed down the scroll, moving over the others in the room as he turned to Elsa. "A bloodless corpse? What does that even mean?"

"That's what the letter says – I don't even know if it's possible." Elsa crossed her legs.

"It could be an attack by the Red Lotus? Perhaps they've arrived in Arendelle." Balder raised his brow.

"It's highly unlikely." Hans stroked his chin. "Those men attacked relentlessly and were hunting after me – they're most likely after royals, so they wouldn't kill just one soldier."

"Then it must have something to do with Lamia – a sacrifice of some sorts that will lead to her reawakening. We have to go to Corona immediately." North frowned.

"Wait, wasn't Lamia's energy highest here in Arendelle? Why would they attack Corona instead?" Tooth turned to him.

"It means they don't know that she's here." Jack sifted his mind. "And we need to stop them before they figure it out."

"It's settled then, we leave for Corona immediately." Elsa rose from her feet.

"I'm coming too." Anna followed her as she and the others headed out the door.

"Don't forget me, lassie." Sephiroth marched as he tailed the princess, drawing a groan from Pam who hopped on Elsa's head.

* * *

THE WATERS moved calmly as they sailed the boat over the sea – Hans' hands clenched tightly over the guardrail as his eyes thinned in his aimless gaze through the deep. A gentle hand came over his, drawing him out of his thoughts as he turned and saw Elsa standing beside him, giving a reassuring smile. "You okay?"

"Yes." He cleared his throat.

"That didn't sound convincing." She leaned against the handrail. "You're afraid of boats or something?"

"No." He sighed. "I can't get over how I survived the attack on my ship." He frowned. "That woman killed all my men and sank my ship, so why'd I survive? How could I have ended up in Arendelle when we were a day away from the shore?"

"Maybe you _did_ escape and you just forgot cuz you were knocked out – it could happen." She shrugged.

"And that woman ... there was something about the way she fought ... she didn't want to do what she was doing, like she was being forced."

"You're not falling for her, are you?" She smirked.

"That woman killed my men!"

"And you nearly killed my sister, but I'm still talking to you." She chuckled and noticed his face harden. "Look, you did what you did because you were desperate; I understand that and maybe it's the same with her."

"What happened was unforgivable." He turned away from her. "What I truly can't get over is the feeling that I was left alive for something else ... some other plan."

"Okay, now you're just being paranoid." She laughed.

"Perhaps." He shrugged.

"Look, just be happy you're still here." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "I mean, I'd be down a friend if you hadn't so be thankful."

"Now, come on, you don't wanna spend the whole boat ride staring out at the sea." She pulled him along.

"Okay, okay." He chuckled and she laughed.

* * *

SILENCE FILLED the morgue as Elsa, Balder, Anna, Kristoff, Hans, Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida and the Guardians stood around a gurney where the soldier's shrivelled corpse lay. "They say they just found him lying in his quarters on Saturday morning." Rapunzel's voice grew husky. "Nobody heard anything and he was just dead there."

"First the Red Lotus, then this? Whoever it is, they sure do scream evil." Merida huffed and sipped wine from a flask. "Bloody savages."

"No, it couldn't have been the Red Lotus; that was when the Southern Isles was attacked. " Elsa frowned.

"Is it the Nine Stars then?" Anna raised her brow.

"It can't be them – what would they gain from killing one man?" Balder turned to her.

"So, this means there's more going here than we thought." Jack crossed his arms.

"If Lamia isn't our only problem, what else would?" North sifted his mind.

"Whoever it is, now is the best time to strike." Merida pocketed her hands. "Any of our kingdoms could be next if we wait, so I say we go and take back the Southern Isles."

"She's right, now is the best time." North frowned.

"So, what's the plan?" Hans turned to Elsa.

* * *

BILLOWS OF smoke filled the sky as chaos took hold in the streets of the Southern Isles, houses ransacked and looted, people being murdered and raped as criminals ran wild. Niu, Xiaosi, Guozhi and Ai stood at a window in the palace, watching on in silence as the city went to hell.

"This is the true nature of mankind, chaos, malice; it's all they come to when you strip away their false hope and aspiration to better themselves." Guozhi crossed his arms. "This is the true order."

"You sure I can't go down there and have a lil fun?" Xiaosi stepped forward, his hungry eyes roaming over the fighting below. "I could be done in ten minutes flat."

"Knowing you, you'd need ten hours. No, no, we'll simply let them have their time in the light." Niu smiled as he placed his hands on the ledge. "The world will know this light when our mission is accomplished – we must be patient."

Ai sifted her mind and frowned, hesitating slightly as she approached him. "What is our goal exactly, Niu? How does releasing hordes of criminals into the city help us bring Lamia back? This-this is chaos."

"Chaos is exactly what we need; it's what she will spread throughout the world."

"To what end? It'll just destroy everything we've fought for? We were supposed to create order."

"Order comes from chaos, Ai, don't forget that." Niu gestured to the city "This is what the world is meant to be; what we've fought for. Clavis et Ianua, the two beings who will help us awaken Lamia, will help us finally achieve our goal. The prophecy will be fulfilled."

"This's insane."

Niu frowned and turned to Ai, seeing the anger in her eyes as he approached. He moved over to her and stopped, smiling as he held her shoulders. "Be patient, Ai; soon you will come to understand." He stepped back and shifted to the window. "Centuries ago, there were no kingdoms, no kings or oppressive rulers who subjugated their people and forced them into what they thought was order. Mankind was meant to be free and true freedom comes when you break down the boundaries. Laws, customs, tradition, taboos, all they do is hold us back. We will free the world and to do so, we need to show the world the true path; the path of chaos."

"What about the people being killed? Is that freedom when their lives are being taken away?"

"There will be sacrifices, Ai." Guozhi turned to her. "The world must die before it can be reborn; it's too rotten as it is."

"This isn't right – people are being murdered out here."

"The loss was inevitable from the beginning. Their lives were restricted and stagnant; they weren't truly alive."

"Be patient, Ai, it will make sense once Lamia is awakened. Only then will you see the beauty in anarchy."

Ai's brows stitched as she looked at him, glancing at Xiaosi as she headed for the door. "I'd like to take a walk."

"Good." Niu nodded. "Go and witness the world as it should be."

* * *

AI'S EYES sunk low as she walked down the damaged cobblestone, her hands filling her pockets as she saw people run around her in a panic. A man wielding an axe ran toward her and she huffed, raising her arm and drawing water out of the air and freezing his head solid. Walking away from him as he fell over she sifted her mind as she heard cries coming from all around her, seeing a woman screaming as she man cornered her in an alley.

Holding her arms above her head, the man pinned her against a wall and forced himself upon her, kissing her neck and causing her to cringe. She squirmed as she tried to break free; her legs parted as he jammed his knee between them and raised it up to her pelvis. She cried as he ripped her shirt off when he suddenly stopped, blood flowing from his mouth as he shuddered and fell back, drawing a surprised scream as she stepped back and watched him hit the ground.

Ai looked at the man coldly as she raised her arm and drew an icicle out of his back, letting him bleed out on the floor as the other woman whimpered. Looking at her calmly, she walked out of the alley and entered the streets, lowering her head to the ground as she saw corpses lying all over, littering over the road. A shrill cry met her hears as she turned to her left and saw a girl in a burning house trying to push a window open.

Running up to the window, she grabbed to the sill and pulled at it, breaking part of it off the wall though it remained stuck. She looked inside and saw the fire was inches away from the girl. "Step back." The girl nodded stiffly and moved back as she drew a strip of water and shattered the glass, reaching in for the child. "Come here."

The girl whimpered slightly and stepped up her, receiving her hand as Ai pulled her out of the house and set her on the floor, seeing her wince as she let go of her. She looked at her and saw a gash on her arm, drawing water and wrapping it around the wound, healing it as it glowed dimly.

"Hey, where're your parents?"

"They, they're inside." She sniffled.

"Where?" Ai stood and turned to the building.

"I don't know."

Ai's brows stitched as she looked inside, seeing nothing but fire as tried to see if anyone was inside. "Okay, come with me, we'll find them." She lifted the girl bad piggybacked her, moving over to the door and kicking it down.

A wave of heat hit her face as she moved toward the doorway, jerking back slightly as wood fell from the ceiling and hit the door. Raising her hand, she summoned a jet of water and sprayed it around, snuffing out the flames and creating a cloud of steam in the foyer as she entered the building. She shifted her arm and wove the vapour and spread it through the house, dousing the fire as she went further through the charred wooden house.

She glanced behind her and saw men massing around the house, shaking her head and drawing a wall of ice that blocked their path. She walked through the expanse slowly, her feet creaking against the floor as she squinted and made it through the smoky halls. The girl coughed as her eyes began to sting, drawing Ai's attention as she wove the smoke and moved onward.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" She looked around and frowned as no answer came, her step slowing as she proceeded.

She entered a corridor and walked onward apprehensively, looking into different empty rooms and seeing them slightly less burned than the living room. Moving up to a door to her left, she pushed it slowly and entered; hope lighting her face as she stepped forward. Her face hardened as she stopped in the doorway, a lump forming in her throat as she looked over the floor as her eyes landed on two burnt corpses.

"Mama!" The girl cried as she jumped off Ai's back, running onward and ignoring the pain as she moved over broken glass. "Mama!" She fell and scraped her knee, inching onward as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Her tiny hands shook as she reached out, stopping and hovering over as she choked up and failed to think clearly, her arms falling beside her as she wept. Ai stood silently as the child wailed and embraced her mother's corpse, her tears dampening the ashen dress as she clung to garment tightly. The woman's brows stitched as she tried to move forward, halting herself as the girl continued to mourn and stepped back.

The noise of the world around her muffled as Ai sunk into her own mind, the sounds of swords slicing through flesh and the roars of dragons echoed through her thoughts, her lips quivering as she wondered what to do. The girl sniffled and wiped her eyes as she looked at her parents, turning around and seeing that Ai had gone.

"Hello?" She searched the room and sniffled as a wave of pain hit her as she continued to cry.

* * *

ELSA, BALDER, Eugene, Rapunzel, Hans and Merida took their seats as the Corona generals exited the war room, leaving the royals to survey their plans to infiltrate the Southern Isles. Interlocking her fingers, Elsa huffed as she looked at the map before her, her eyes setting on Merida who sank back in her chair and drank her wine.

"Are you sure you don't want to bring your men in on this?" She raised her brow.

"They'd never get here in time and we can't wait around any longer."

"Well, why did you not come with them in the first place?" Balder turned to her. "It would aid us well to have more men on this attack."

"I didn't come here because of the attack on the Southern Isles; I came so that I could kill Erhard if he was behind it. I'll make him pay and kill him with my own hands."

"You would need an army if you wanted to attack him; he has countless dragons on his side." Elsa frowned.

"He'd see an army coming a mile away." Merida put her flask aside. "An arrow in the neck will kill him no matter how powerful he is."

"It'd be wise to heed her advice, Queen Merida; we saw his power first hand." Concern etched on Balder's face.

"It doesn't matter – I will kill him." Merida's face hardened.

Eugene glanced at the others as they taken aback by her rashness, turning to her and chuckling. "Just don't get yourself killed if he comes back."

"Yeah, let's just hope he forgot about us." Rapunzel laughed uneasily when a knock came at the door, drawing her attention. "Come in."

"Oh, hope I haven't interrupted anything." Jack smiled slightly as he entered the room.

"We were just finished actually." Elsa turned to him. "Is something wrong?"

"No, but could I talk to you in private."

"Why?" She raised her brow.

"I need to talk to you; it's important."

"Okay." She nodded and looked to the others. "Guys."

"Yeah, sure." Rapunzel rose to her feet.

Jack's eyes darted between the royals as they left the room, moving up to the table and sitting across from Elsa who crossed her legs. "So, what do you wanna talk about?"

"Well ... I know it's a lot to take in that the Guardians, myths children toss around, are actually real and are here to help ... save the world basically." He chuckled.

"Actually, not really, especially with what I went through last year." She laughed. "My life's kinda crazy, so I'm a lil more open-minded."

"The thing is you don't know the whole story."

"Okay, then, spill it." She sat back.

"Before we become Guardians, we were humans and each of us had lives before we assumed the role. Unlike the others who transformed while they were alive, I did when I was half dead."

"Wait, you were resurrected?"

"Sorta." He shrugged. "But before that, I had family and a sister who I saved from a frozen pond that I ended up sinking into three hundred years ago."

"Whoa." Her eyes dilated. "I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be; I had to protect her and I did – that's what's important ... that's always what's been important." He frowned.

"Always been? Is she still alive?"

"No ... I abandoned her ... all of them when ... when nobody could see me – before I knew I was a Guardian." His frown deepened and he cut her off before she could speak. "I left everything and I didn't know who I was ... I only remembered that a year ago and I blame myself for never being there. I've hid that from everyone."

"Even the Guardians?"

"There's nobody else I can talk to." He chuckled wistfully.

"Then ... why me?" Her brows stitched.

His eyes darted around as he'd been looking at his hands and he took a deep breath, looking up at her. "I ... In 2014 ..." He noticed confusion etch on her face. "Two years ago, a spirit came to me and offered me a chance to be with my family again – to be with my sister in return for some of my power. Since then, I could feel myself slowly lose control every time I used my powers and the spirit would tell me that'd use me to kill everyone around me ... I see myself destroying everything and nobody can stop me ... I see you there too."

"Me?"

"Yes. I've come here before, but I've never even known what to ask you to do or how you could help stop that from happening."

"Wait, you're the one I saw on the balcony on my wedding night."

"I didn't know what to ask you when I came then, but I do now." He frowned. "Elsa, if I lose control and the spirit takes over ... I need you to kill me."

* * *

NIU'S EYES moved down the page of a large book as he read in the archive room of the Southern Isles, his search for information on the kingdom and its ties to the Table proving fruitless as he burned through the records. A frown grew on his face as he reached the end of the book, his patience being tested until he found an account of the Great Winter of Arendelle.

"Queen Elsa." His eyes dilated.

NIU MOVED hastily through the courtyard, followed by Guozhi, Xiaosi and Ai as they moved toward an airship parked before the gate. "Are you sure it's them?" Guozhi raised his brow.

"The prophecy spoke of two icebenders, Clavem and Ianua, the key and the door who would awaken Lamia. We need to go to Arendelle at once."

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the Universe!**

 **For those who may be a little confused as to how this story fits into the present day, please check out the previous two books in the trilogy, the first: Kingdoms and Stars, and the second: The Blackest of Tidings. The reasons why is explained more in the first book.**

 **We hope you've enjoyed the book so far and we hope you like where we're going in terms of dealing with more characters other than the leads. If you have any questions or anything in general to say, please leave a review and we'll answer them when we can. Thanks for reading.**


	4. Insurgence

**Insurgence**

 **"** Seas of blood and ashen rain. Thousands will fall, yet you will know no pain. Your face will be seen by many, yet only I will know you."

Elsa's eyes opened slowly, the morning sun shining on her face and bringing a smile that radiated through her. There was no shame, no fear; not a care in the world. And no joy. Looking down at the road below her, she was filled with malice, lust and hatred as she walked over the cobblestone.

Vapour rose in strips from her hands; her cold blue eyes nearly matching her aqua dress that clung to her body with blood that stained it. Corpses lay all over the street, along with glass, ash and broken bones. Fires rose from the houses on either side of her and she looked up to the skies with a grin. Flames filled the heavens.

"And the devil will come ... the devil will come for you."

She breathed in the smell of fresh blood and smirked as she saw a woman whimpering on the ground behind her. The screams of people all around washed through the silence in her mind. She rose into the air, leaving a trail of snow that peppered the ground. The town went up in flames all around her and she enjoyed it, the sight of people burning and houses destroyed.

"You are the devil's bride."

* * *

ELSA WOKE with a start and looked around frantically. Exhaling with relief, she cast her gaze through the dim room, the smouldering fireplace, the wooden framing and design on the walls, the curtains on the bedposts, all creating a calm that washed over as she saw Balder lay asleep beside her. She touched her face and breathed haggardly, a film of sweat glinting in the faint morning light behind her as her eyes began to dart around in panic.

Terror moved through her tremulously and her lip quivered with fear. Tears flowed down her cheeks and she clung to her head in despair. Her frightened cries woke Balder who shifted slowly and saw her with surprise.

"Elsa." He quickly sat up and put his arm over her. "Elsa, what's wrong?"

The woman wrapped her hands around him, clinging tightly as she wept into his chest. Confusion etched itself into his face and he held her still, trying to console her. Fighting her tears in futility, Elsa's mind raced as her eyes were lost in the dark; her body manacled by dread.

Screams and shouts came from outside, drawing their attention and pulling them for their silent solace. The two turned to the window and quickly shot up as they were met with shock. Billows of smoke rose from town square.

* * *

ELSA RUSHED out of her room, hurriedly adjusting her gloves as she was clad in an aqua coat, navy blue shirt and trousers and a pair of black boots. Clamouring filled the castle halls in faint echoes, springing her forth as she scudded onward with Balder tailing her. A door swung open ahead of her, nearly hitting her as she skidded to a stop and saw Merida entered the corridor, draping her quiver over her shoulder.

"Merida, what's happening?"

"Prisoners have escaped from the dungeons – it's chaos out there." The redhead scowled.

* * *

ELSA PUSHED the heavy doors aside and walked into Rapunzel's office, followed by Merida, Balder, Anna, Kristoff, North, Tooth, Jack, Sandy and Bunny who all shared her tension as they filled the room. "Rapunzel, what's happening?" Elsa spat out, nearly shouting as ice snaked up her fingers.

"We just got word that all the criminals escaped the dungeons and killed the guards around dawn." Rapunzel turned to her, distress creased on her forehead.

"It's bad." Eugene shook his head, a frown crossing his face as he turned to the window and looked outside grimly. "The soldiers are out there, but there're so many of them."

"How'd they escape? There were guards down there, right?" Anna asked.

"We don't know what happened. They caught us off guard." Eugene sighed, defeat lingering in his voice as he shifted to her.

"We should've executed them when we had the chance." Rapunzel balled her fist in frustration, her head hung low as her thoughts plagued her.

"No, don't blame yourself; it wasn't an easy decision." Elsa walked toward her. "You showed mercy – that's a good thing." She grasped her shoulder, giving a smile of assurance.

"Well, look what mercy's gotten us." Merida held her bow to the outside, anger shown in the scowl on her face. "Those bastards are out there turning everything to shit! We need to take them down."

"She's right." North stepped forward, giving an affirming nod as he looked to Elsa. "The Guardians will aid you in this battle."

"Alright, let's move." Elsa leered, her confidence rising as she turned back to Rapunzel. "Stay in here and barricade yourselves in."

"I'll stay with them." Balder chipped as he moved up to her. Taking a hold of her nape, he laid a kiss on her forehead and looked her in the eye. "Be safe." He smiled as she nodded.

"I'll help the soldiers protect the palace; you guys should go and handle this." Kristoff spoke from the corner of the room

"Don't die out there." Anna came up to him, wrapping around in worry.

"I'll be fine." He smiled at her as he pulled back.

Merida groaned, disgusted at the displays of affection. "Will you guys stop jerking off? We've got work to do."

"She's right; let's move." Jack said, quickly heading for the door.

* * *

CLAMOURING AND the sounds of battle filled the air around them, the skies above darkening the palace grounds as Elsa, Merida, Anna, Kristoff and the Guardians ran out of the castle and moved up to the wall where soldiers manned the gates. "Commander, what's going on out there?" Elsa asked curtly.

"We have soldiers holding off the escaped prisoners around the fourth tier, a few districts away from the docks." A soldier turned to her, his pale face hardening in anxiety. "We're trying to keep them away from the boats or they'll escape."

"We will assist you then." She nodded and walked back to the others . "Alright, the plan is simple: contain the criminals and get the people out of harm's way. Jack, Tooth, Bunny, Anna, you're the fastest among us, so go help the soldiers in the city."

"You got it." Jack, Anna and Tooth with boom and Bunny tapped his foot on the ground, summoning a hole that he hopped into.

"North, Sandy, help the soldiers barricade the city and help evacuate." Elsa said.

"On it." North nodded. "Let's go, Sandman." He headed off with Sandy.

Elsa watched them leave and briskly shifted to Merida. "Okay, let's keep the convicts from getting to the palace – bet there're some who'd wanna attack it."

"Don't need to tell me twice." Merida picked an arrow from her quiver and aimed at the massive, grey palace wall. Shooting it against the structure, she reeled herself with the tethered arrow. She climbed on the wall and stepped forth, taking in the many houses that littered several hills descending to docks and stood in disarray. Scowling at the sight, she looked down and saw men in tattered clothing and black armour bombard the gate with boulders and battering rams.

She shot an arrow at the ground, right in the middle of the horde. The men lurched in surprise, looking at the barb curiously. Smoke rose from the arrowhead and it exploded, flinging the men and rocks around.

Looking onward, she huffed and fished a flask from her jacket. She took a sip and grimaced, hearing a sharp ringing that flooded her ears that gradually dissipated. Prying her eyes, she set her gaze forth. Everything slowed. The people. The birds. And the wind.

She drew an arrow and placed it on the bow, holding it up to her cheek. She narrowed her eyes and focussed on a mass of prisoners fighting soldiers in the middle of a street a few hundred feet away. Shutting the world around her, she took a deep breath and muttered to herself as she fixed her gaze.

She fired the arrow and it shot through the air, sailing over trees, houses and streets as it made its destination. Gliding over the cascading winds, the projectile descended as if led by a guiding hand and drove right into the spine of an insurgent. A gas exuded from the arrow as the wounded man writhed, suffusing the air and suffocating the convicts he stood with. Shocked by the sudden stroke of luck, the Corona soldiers attacked the men, killing them off.

"Works every time." Merida twirled an arrow as she sat on the wall and took aim, firing at a criminal who ran toward the palace.

Elsa watched the redhead from within the palace walls and looked around at the soldiers manning the yard in unease. Rubbing her hands, she mumbled to herself and clenched her fists at her sides. She fought the welling fear from her dream, the anger and worry knotting her forehead into a scowl that made veins bulge.

Calming her thoughts, she Snow Queen ascended, snowflakes peppering the concrete as wind gathered. Clouds darkened in the heavens above and Elsa breathed haggardly; her brow twitching as her face twisted. She rose above the wall, drawing Merida's attention as temperatures fell.

Elsa frowned and snapped her eyes open, the deep blue fading to near-white as she looked around. Raising her hands before her, she let out a puff of vapour in her breath and looked to the city up ahead. She lifted her left arm and released a jet of ice from her palm.

The strip flung over the palace grounds and landed in a street, covering the road in rime. Escapees battling soldiers nearby turned to the frost as a mist came from it. The ice cracked, disintegrating into flakes that whirled around. Out of the cloud glinted a pair of cold eyes, eyes that struck fear into the hearts of the men who stood around. The mist vanished, unveiling a knight of ice garbed in armour and wielding a spear.

The beast descended on the men, cleaving through their bodies like paperweights and shrugging off their swords that merely grazed its body. Elsa watched as she hovered over the palace grounds, looking to her hands as an aura exuded from them. Charging snow between her palms, she threw her arms apart and sprayed the snow outward, permeating the clouds and raining her army on the kingdom.

* * *

ANNA FLEW over a street and sent fireballs onto three convicts, speeding off with a sonic boom as Tooth entered the area and landed near a house. Phasing into the edifice, the fairy flew up to a man who pulled a knife on a woman in a kitchen, slicing him with her bladed wings and shifted through a nearby wall, easing into a packed road that Jack fought in. The Guardian smacked two convicts aside with his cane, jumped and dropkicked another than ran toward him and landed on with a knee to the ground, smashing his staff down and creating an ice explosion that engulfed the lane.

* * *

RAPUNZEL AND Eugene witnessed the distant battle from the palace, seeing Sandy forge a wall around the docks and Santa fly about. "How can this be happening again?" Eugene frowned and turned to Balder who sat on a chair behind him. "The criminals had no access to weapons of any kind."

"I have been thinking about it." The King of Arendelle rose to his feet. "There's only one conclusion."

"What is it?" Rapunzel asked. A knock came at the door. "Come in."

An advisor came into the room, a look of relief washing over his face. "Oh, thank goodness, you're safe."

"What is it, Andor?"Eugene inquired.

"The commander seeks audience with you over a recaptured convict that may know something about their escape." Andor answered.

Balder studied the man, noticing his eye twitch slightly. "Finally, some good news." Eugene sighed with relief. "Let's go." Balder frowned as Andor reached for a sheath on his belt.

"Get back!" Balder drew his sword and swung at the man who quickly blocked with his own.

"Balder, what're you doing?" Rapunzel gasped.

"You will not see the end of this day!" Andor kicked Balder back and slashed his arm. "The Phoenix is at hand." He raised his sword at Eugene who stood before Rapunzel.

Squirming in pain, Balder quickly tossed his sword to his free arm and drove it into the advisor's back. Rapunzel yelped in horror as the man before her spat out blood and tumbled over. Dislodging his sword, Balder turned to the couple. "What's happening?" Eugene's eyes dilated in shock.

"The prisoners were let out by the guards; that's the only reason this is happening." Balder grasped his hand and moved toward the door. "This is a rebellion." He looked into the hall. "We need to get out of here."

The king gestured to the fellow royals and they entered the corridor quietly. A soldier entered the hall on the opposite end and jogged toward them, seemingly to their aid when he drew his sword. Blocking the attack swiftly, Balder cut him down and pointed the couple to a path to his left. Looking around the corridor, he followed them as they made way to the stairs.

Moving into another hall, the trio raced desperately through the dimly lit expanse, looking around when a door opened up ahead. A hefty man, Gunther, entered the hall, his face washed white in worry. "Queen Rapunzel, what's happening?"

"Sir Gunther, we need to go now." The woman ran up to him.

"But, your majesty, you ordered for us to stay until those marauders have been dealt with."

"Wait, who else is with you?" Eugene asked.

"I'm in here with the other advisors." Gunther turned to the room he came from and gasped. "By the gods!"

Jolted by shock, Rapunzel and Eugene entered the room, joining the elderly man in frozen astonishment. Balder moved up to them and saw several corpses laying in the room, on the long table at the centre of the edifice, on the chairs, on the floor. It was a massacre. In the corner of the room was a royal guard removing his sword from a fellow soldier.

Balder covered Rapunzel's mouth, impeding a scream and quickly shut the door. Leading them down the hall, the four entered the main concourse of the palace and rushed to the door. Balder stopped at the centre of the room, frowning as footsteps echoed in the halls. Rapunzel, Eugene and Gunther slipped out of the edifice and Balder followed behind them. A sword swung at his arm.

"Balder!" Rapunzel screamed.

Balder deflected a slash from a guard and kicked the doors shut. "Go!" He looked to Eugene who nodded grimly and pulled his wife aside.

Making sure the royals were out of harm's way, Balder turned to the guard and locked blades with him. Engaging him with two slashes, the king cut down the insurgent and stood victorious when a pang hit his wounded arm. Clasping his arm over the gash, he inched toward the door when several guards massed into the hall from doors around the expanse.

Balder's heart fell to his stomach as he was surrounded, his breath quickening as the men drew their swords. Clenching the hilt of his sword, Balder readied himself for the inevitable. Blue strips of energy shot into the soldier's backs and they fell dead. Balder looked around in a panic and frowned as a cloaked man entered the room. He recognised the attire he wore, scowling as he tried to speak when the man chanted a spell. Shuddering in pain, Balder wobbled as a weight enveloped his body. With blurry vision, he stepped forward and fell to a knee, gasping for breath as he tried to get his bearings.

His arm turned black and scales formed down its length. Hitting the floor with a thud, he fell unconscious.

* * *

"COMMANDER GREGERS!" Rapunzel cried as she ran to the wall that encompassed the palace grounds.

"My Queen." The soldier turned, visibly tensing upon seeing her.

"Where's Queen Elsa?" She asked hastily.

"Her majesty and Queen Merida left to join the soldiers after securing the wall, Your Grace."

"Then bring your men; King Balder is being attacked!"

Nodding to the queen, the general rounded a group of eight men and followed her and Eugene to the palace. Breaking the door down, the throng entered the castle's foyer and looked around. Rapunzel walked into the building last, horror tightening her jaw as she took in the guard's corpses on the floor.

"Where is he?" She looked to Eugene.

* * *

A MASS OF soldiers and escapees cluttered a street in a brawl that decimated houses along a cobblestone road. The soldiers were losing. Cutting the last man down, the criminals eyed the homes on either side of their path, moving toward them when low clicks met their ears. Five arrows were stuck in the ground around them and released smoke that filled the air.

Merida sped into the street, her mouth covered with a neckerchief, and drew out a dagger. Picking the bewildered men off one by one, she snuck up to each of them and made quick work of them. Stabs to the back, stomach. Slitting necks. She killed them all with near assassin-level precision until she moved up to a large man who heard her coming.

Caught by the larger foe, Merida flipped back from his massive arm as he tried to punch her. The mist slowly cleared, her advantage of stealth was lost. With little ammo of which she didn't want to waste, the redhead held her dagger at her side and waited for her opponent. That is until he fell over in a heap at the wild strike of a horse's hoof.

"Whoa, there, easy Lincoln!" Pam smiled from atop the mare made of ice as she rode toward the queen in her humanoid form. "Merida! What're you doing here?"

"That's my question." The woman frowned and pulled her mask down. Shaking blood off the sword, she walked on and drew an arrow. "Don't follow me." She glanced at the feline woman. "Get back to Elsa or you'll get yourself killed."

"Pfft, I can hold my own." Pam crossed her arms.

"By me." Merida turned to her, her eyes dark with sincerity as she walked on.

"Whoa, who bit her ass?" Pam jerked in surprise.

"People are biting donkeys now?" Olaf poked his head above her shoulder.

"No, I didn't mean –,"

"Don't worry, butterfly, I'll protect you." The snowman stroked the horse's back.

Pam groaned and clucked her tongue. "Why am I stuck with this moron?"

"Moron is a matter of perspective, mija." Sephiroth hopped on her shoulder. "Now, attack that building!" He drew his sword and pointed at a house behind him. "It looked at me funny."

"No."

* * *

SHOOTING DOWN a convict attacking a soldier in a marketplace, Merida ran in and helped the injured man up. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes, thank you." He grunted as he stood.

"Elsa and I just secured the palace grounds – what's the situation at the docks?"

"We're running low on men there." He shook his head.

* * *

"HOW MANY of them are there?" North cast his gaze around the pier and tossed a sword into an oncoming escapee. Sandy, who floated on a cloud above, gave a shrug and forged a whip, grabbing a convict who ran toward a boat and tossed him back to the city.

"It's like a never-ending army." North dislodged his blade and turned to the sea. A large sand wall enclosed the docks, cordoning the boats and blocking the bridge to his right. "You sure you can hold this up for long?" He looked up to his fellow guardian. Sandy huffed and gave a weak nod. North frowned and sheathed his weapons. "I just hope the others get the situation sorted out before it gets out of hand."

* * *

JACK LANDED in a cul-de-sac and cracked his staff at a convict in a backhand motion that sent the man flying onto a building. Joined by Tooth, Bunny and Anna, the princess and the Guardians looked around as escapees massed the dead end street. "Is this the last of them?" Jack raised his brow.

"Maybe – haven't been countin'." Bunny twirled a boomerang.

"Try to take it seriously; it's not a game." Tooth frowned.

Jack tapped his chin. "Nah, it kinda is."

The Guardian struck the earth with his cane, sending out a wave of ice that froze four men in his wake. Tooth ran out from his left as the group split up and she flew toward two men, slicing their sides with her wings and rose into the air, gathering wind and blew two convicts into a building. Bunny vaulted over to a group of men at the right side of the street, rolled to his feet and tossed out his boomerangs. Standing tall as the projectiles bounced off the heads of his targets, he fished out a ball and flicked it to a man running toward him, knocking him back with a green blast.

"See?" He caught his boomerangs. "It's just like a game ..." His mouth fell agape. "Crikey."

Jack kicked a man aside and twirled his staff, looking in the direction he and Tooth faced. "What the hell?" He frowned.

Blood coated the ground, a trail forming a gory mass of severed limbs and corpses that spread out before the Guardians. At the precipice stood Anna, dress coated in red and arms soaked in crimson as she held a limp convict's neck. Ignoring his pleas for mercy, she clenched her fist and squashed his neck, letting the battered corpse fall at her side.

"A... Anna?" Jack spurted as he moved toward her, confusion knotting his brows. The woman turned to him sharply, her blackening eyes darting between the trio as a low growl emanated from her throat. Jack jerked back at the horrid sight, trying his best to process what he saw; the cheerful princess now standing before him as a merciless monster.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Bunny backed up.

Jack glanced at Tooth whose mouth moved wordlessly in confusion. He moved toward the princess. "Anna, try to calm down." The woman tossed a fireball at him.

"Hey, watch where you're throwing that!" Bunny jumped out of the way.

Anna roared and stepped back, retching as if she was about to vomit as she clawed at the ground. Clenching her fist tightly, she lunged at Jack and punched him, flinging him onto the road. Tooth and Bunny gasped in shock, unable to move in time as Anna stood between them. She held her hands up to their faces and shot fireballs at them point blank.

Letting the two fall on buildings on either side of the street, Anna launched toward Jack at high speeds who lay at the end of a trench and dove down with a punch. Jack saw the attack coming and rolled out of the way, letting the woman crash and skid against the dirt. He got to a knee and held his staff at his side, locking eyes with the dead, vicious ones of the princess before him. "Anna, don't make me do this – you need to stop –,"

Anna apparated up to him, grabbing his throat midsentence, and moved over the ground at blurring speeds, smashing his body against a wall. Digging her nails into his neck, the woman leaned forward, her bared teeth inching toward his flesh. In a split second, Jack threw himself back and cracked his forehead into hers, freeing himself from her vice.

Anna skidded against the ground, her feet upheaving rocks and dust, and she turned back to Jack, seeing him fly toward her. The Guardian swung his staff at her and she grabbed it, creating a concussive wave that cracked the tiles around them. Using his free hand, Jack gave Anna a punch to the jaw that hurled her back, causing her to bounce off the ground and crash onto a dead horse.

Anna scrambled to her feet, merely shaking her head at the attack, and grabbed the corpse, lifting it high above her head and chucked it at him. Jack froze and smashed the projectile to pieces, shifting to swing his staff when Anna flew up to him and kicked him in the head, hurling him onto a building to her right. The princess landed on the ground with a thud and balled herself up, her arms to her stomach as she growled. She threw herself back and roared loudly, a burst of fire exploding from her small frame and shooting up to the sky. Tooth, Bunny and Jack watched in shock along with the rest of the kingdom as Merida who stood atop a building and Elsa who hovered in the air witnessed the fury.

"Anna ..."

Jack pushed himself up and beheld the fires that littered the ground around the devilish figure before him. He clenched his cane and moved to strike when a purple fireball struck the ground between them. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's going on here?" Hiccup's voice came.

Jack looked up to his right, a curious look on his face as Hiccup and Astrid descended to the street on their dragons. "Came here when we heard of the bloodless corpse and you're having a party?" Astrid feigned anger.

"Who are you?" Jack asked, masking his anger as his fist tightened.

"Oh shit!" Hiccup's eyes dilated as he saw Anna, Toothless reacting the same as the dragon lurched back. "Anna, is that you?"

"What the hell are you –,"

Anna screamed, interrupting Astrid, and lunged at her when a thunderclap echoed, drawing her attention to Elsa who flew toward her. Breaking a sound barrier, the queen dove down and punched her sister in the face, driving her head into the concrete as she crashed onto the street; rocks spraying about around them. Slowing to a stop, Elsa stood and breathed heavily, studying the woman below and huffing in relief as she remained in a motionless heap.

"What's happening?" Astrid exclaimed as she got off Stormfly.

"I-it's a long story." Elsa took in the confused faces of the people around her.

"Shorten it then." Hiccup frowned as he dismounted Toothless.

"Well, you see, Anna –," Elsa and Jack winced, both grasping their left arms and looking at each other in confusion.

"What're you doing?" Bunny raised his brow.

"No, we ..." Jack and Elsa synchronised and looked at their arms. A blue aura exuded from their respective limbs, curving and forming a tattoo. Looking to each other, the two came together and put their arms close to each other, seeing the combined image to be that of a mermaid in a circle.

"... We ..." Jack and Elsa looked at each other as the others converged around them.

"Uh, guys." Tooth pointed to the horizon, drawing their attention.

NIU SMILED to himself as he stood in the main concourse of his airship. Joined by Ai, Xiaosi and Guozhi, the man looked at a stone plate before him that glowed dimly. "They are here, Clavis et Ianua." He stepped forward and peered through the glass overlooking the city of Corona. "The time has come."


	5. Clavis Et Ianua

**Clavis Et Ianua**

EUGENE, RAPUNZEL and some soldiers searched the corpse-laden room.

"What happened here?" Rapunzel looked around.

Rapunzel moved up to a burnt corpse and Commander Gregers drew a sword, raising it above Rapunzel.

"Rapunzel!" Eugene reached to her.

Commander Gregers swung at Rapunzel when Maggie burst in, spraying fire on all the soldiers. The dragon flew toward Rapunzel who smiled in surprise.

"Maggie, what're you doing here?" Rapunzel asked.

"There're soldiers everywhere. We need to go now." Maggie said.

"Okay." Rapunzel said.

Eugene and Rapunzel mounted Maggie and she flew toward a wall.

* * *

JACK SMACKED away two earthbenders aside, Tooth blew another away with her wings, Bunny tossed his boomerangs at a firebender, and Astrid and Hiccup burned six benders that attacked them with dragons. Elsa picked up Anna and turned to the others.

"You need to get Anna out of here!" Jack said.

A bender landed nearby and sent water Elsa's way. She dodged it and blanketed the bender in ice. Elsa quickly flew off and swerved away from a rock tossed at her by a bender. She soared over the city and saw Sandy and Santa flying about, fighting benders on roof tops.

"This is bad."

Elsa looked at the city below and saw Red Lotus members fighting soldiers in the streets, killing them off one by one.

"How are we gonna stop them?" Elsa asked herself in a panic when she heard thunder. "Huh?"

An earthbender flung a boulder at Elsa, knocking her out of the sky, sending her plummeting onto a soldier below. She scrambled to her feet and a Red Lotus member shot fire on her, throwing her back down. Elsa tried to stand and the snow swept by, blinding her and pushing the Red Lotus member back.

"Anna!" Elsa called. "Anna!"

Elsa saw Anna lying in the snow nearby and trudged up to her. She picked her up and tried to control the snow, but failed. She looked around and shot ice through house's wall. She jumped into the building and sealed the hole with ice, setting Anna on a chair.

Elsa looked around for something to help Anna when Maggie suddenly crashed into the room with Eugene, Rapunzel and her baby Kristi on her back.

"What the -," Elsa turned to the dragon. "Rapunzel? What happened?"

"The castle's overrun; we need to get out of here." Rapunzel said.

"Come on, we need to find the others and get out of here before the storm gets worse." Eugene said.

"Wait, what about Balder, where is he?" Elsa asked. Eugene and Rapunzel looked at each other in worry and Elsa's eyes widened in fear. "What happened?" She demanded.

"We don't know what happened to him." Eugene said.

"What?" Elsa felt weak-kneed.

"We were attacked by our own soldiers and we had to get out of there quickly. Balder held them off and we came back with reinforcements when we found he had suddenly vanished." Rapunzel explained. "I'm sorry, Elsa."

Elsa sifted her mind and tears well within her as she looks around.

"Elsa, I promise, we'll do everything we can to get him back, but we need to get out of here now before the storm traps us here." Eugene said.

Elsa turned to Anna and frowned.

* * *

NIU WATCHED the storm in the ship's hall and Ai walked up to him.

"I have called off the ground troops." Ai said.

"You did what!?" Niu frowned.

"The storm was worsening; they were going to die in out there.

"Their lives do not matter! We are too close to back away now!" Niu walked toward her.

"How would we accomplish our mission if there are no men left?" Ai asked.

Niu paused and sifted his mind. "Alright, pull out for now; we'll return when the storm is over."

"Yes sir." Ai began to leave and glanced at Niu.

* * *

ANNA ENTERED the throne room in Arendelle, finding Elsa, who was seated on the cathedra, with Kristoff, Hiccup, Astrid, Merida, Jack, Tooth, North, Sandy and Bunny in the room.

"It's not looking good out there; the people are really upset." Anna said.

"I can't believe the storm got here so fast. I wonder how Berk is doing." Hiccup grew worried.

"Well, this just makes things worse for us. The snow storm's ravaging the kingdom and the people believe it's my fault." Elsa rubbed her forehead.

Jack looked at his arm and looked to Elsa when a messenger arrived.

"Queen Elsa, a message from Berk." The messenger walked toward her.

"Let me have it." Astrid received a scroll from the messenger and he left. She unfolded it and read it with Hiccup who walked up to her.

"What does it say?" Elsa asked.

"The storm's reached Berk too, it's a disaster." Hiccup said.

"I'm sorry, but we have to go; we can't sit around here while they're suffering." Astrid said.

"But what about the storm?" Kristoff asked. "You could get caught out there."

"Toothless and Stormfly can fly over the clouds and get us there." Hiccup said.

"So, you're leaving right now?" Anna walked up to them.

"I'm sorry, but it's an emergency."

"We'll keep in touch and tell you when we get back." Astrid pocketed the letter.

Hiccup and Astrid headed for the door and Merida watched them leave. "Okay, so what now? I'm not going back without Erhard's head on a spike."

"It won't be so easy with the storm; we still have no idea where the order is." Elsa said.

"Well, something better come up because I can't just sit around."

"We're not just sitting around; you seem to be forgetting the fact that we just go our arses handed to us by element manipulating wizards." Bunny pointed out.

"Not to mention that we still have Lamia to deal with." North said.

"And we still have to go back and save Corona." Eugene crossed his arms.

"Well, all-in-all, we're screwed unless something just comes through that door." Anna huffed.

The doors opened and Ai walked into the room, drawing everyone's attention.

"Well, that was convenient." Bunny said.

Tooth frowned as she saw Ai's clothing. "She's Red Lotus!"

"What're you doing here?" Jack frowned.

The guys prepared to fight when Ai suddenly raised her hands. Elsa's eyes widened in surprise as Ai walked up to them slowly. The others eased up, confused as she approached them.

"Stop right there!" Elsa ordered and Ai stopped. Elsa frowned. "What do you want?"

"I need your help to stop the Red Lotus." Ai said.

"What?" Anna exclaimed.

"You expect us to believe you after attacking Corona?" Kristoff raised his brow.

"Who do you think you are anyway?" Rapunzel frowned.

"I am Ai." Ai stated.

"You are you?" Anna chuckled and the others looked at her in disapproval. "Yeah, I know, bad joke."

"I'm one of the four heads of the Red Lotus and I need your help to stop them." Ai said.

"Why do you want to stop them?" Eugene asked.

"You can see that they're clearly insane, they're going to destroy everything"

Elsa sifted her mind and eased up. "Settle down, guys," She turned to Ai. ""What does the Red Lotus want exactly?"

"They want to awaken a dark moon spirit named Lamia who they believe has the power to change the world and bring about chaos. To do so, they'll need Clavis et Ianua, the Key and the Door, two beings that can control ice who hold Lamia's divided spirit within them." Ai explained.

"Wait, two beings that can control ice?" Tooth asked.

"What are you talking about?" Anna frowned.

"You mean ...," Elsa stepped back.

"They want you, Queen Elsa, and him," Ai pointed at Jack and the others gasped in shock.

"That's impossible! Jack is a Guardian! He can't be evil!" Tooth frowned.

"There has to be some mistake." North said.

Elsa and Jack remained silent and Anna looked to her sister in worry. "Elsa ... This can't be true, can it?"

Elsa looked at the others and turned to Jack. He nodded and she sighed. "During the Eternal Winter, I was visited by a Mermaid Spirit who saw my plight."

Elsa's mind went back to the day she'd sent Anna and Kristoff out of the castle. As she'd paced around in fear and the walls reddened and encroached on her, a figure appeared before her in the moonlight.

Snow collected before her, transforming into a woman with deep blue skin, flowing raven hair, wearing straps across her breasts and gauntlets that tapered out to large claws on her middle fingers and her lower body tapered out into a mermaid tail.

"She told me she could help me control my powers and I accepted her offer." Elsa continued to explain. "She disappeared afterwards and I hadn't seen her since. I guess she was just waiting for the right time."

"Elsa ...," Anna's brows stitched.

"She came to me too a hundred years ago and said she could help me get my family back. I accepted it and she's haunted me ever since. I'm now afraid of using my full powers because she'd escape and kill everyone." Jack said. "I'm sorry guys."

The others exchanged looks of shock and Tooth frowned slightly. "There's nothing to apologise for, we understand."

"Really?" Jack turned to her.

"Yeah, she manipulated you; we can't blame you for that, mate." Bunny said.

"Hell, I know a thing or two about being manipulated by spirits." Merida crossed her arms. "Deceitful bastards.''

"What's important is that you told us and now we can work together to defeat the Red Lotus." North said.

"So, what's the plan?" Eugene turned to Ai.

"We go back to Corona." Ai frowned.

* * *

AI, ELSA, Anna, Merida ran quickly along the pier in Corona and moved up to a building; Sandy hovering close by. Ai peeped past the wall and saw Red Lotus Airships floating high above.

"Remember, stick to the plan and everything should be fine." Ai said to the others.

Elsa conjured snow in her hands and nodded. "Let's do this."

The five ran out and entered the city, manoeuvring the streets and avoiding Red Lotus members at every turn. The city was heavily guarded, but with Ai's direction, they managed to sneak through undetected as they got closer to the palace.

Merida placed an arrow on her bow as walked with Ai, Elsa, Merida and Sandy down an alleyway. Ai peeped out and gestured for the others to follow her. The five trotted toward the palace wall when fire suddenly sprayed toward them.

Sandy forged a wall to block the flames and he looked up to see four earthbenders dive towards them. Elsa shot them down with her ice and flew out with Anna, engaging the four firebenders that closed in on them.

"What's going on? I thought you said you knew the security formation?" Elsa said to Ai.

"I did." Ai whipped an earthbender with a strip of water and rolled away from an oncoming fireball.

"Then what's happening?" Anna yelled.

"I don't know! They must have followed me somehow."

Merida shot three arrows around them and walked forward calmly. "Well, whatever is going on, we need to get out of here!"

The arrows exploded, releasing a fog that the five quickly ran through. Elsa flew up to the others when a dart suddenly hit her in the neck, causing her to feel weak. She collapsed on the ground near Anna.

Anna moved up to Elsa when four archers landed around them along with the four firebenders and four earthbenders. Ai, Anna, Merida and Sandy prepared themselves when a column of earth shot toward them, knocking Anna off her feet. A hole opened in the ground and engulfed Elsa.

"Elsa!"


	6. A Boy's Tale

MUD SPLATTERED about as a young silver-haired boy clad in tattered robes walked barefoot through a deep forest. He rubbed his callused hands against his arm and looked at the trees above as he followed an older taller boy ahead of him. The older boy had messy blonde hair, wore dirty clothes and had a dagger on his belt. The two were brothers.

"Keep up, night's nearly upon us." The older boy said.

The young boy nodded, following the older boy up to the edge of a cliff overseeing the rest of the forest. In the distance was a large and old monastery at the top of some mountains, a sight that put a broad smile on the older boy's face.

"We're almost there, Erhard."

* * *

THE DARK halls spread out before him as he walked amongst the members of the Order. His face was hidden beneath a heavy, sleeveless cloak, and he cast a shadow on those around him as he moved his large frame onward. Clad in a silver-plated armour top over black trousers, boots and silver gauntlets on his forearms, the Dragon god walked on when a voice called out to him.

"Lord Erhard," a young woman – his aide – walked up to him, "we've gotten confirmation, the stones are on transit as we speak. The Guardian of Fate is in progress."

"Good." Erhard said. "Anything else?"

"The Red Lotus is moving quite steadily and is now attacking the Table. They are drawing ever closer to summoning their goddess."

Erhard stopped and glanced around then started walking. "Make sure the stones reach the ley-lines and stay in contact with me."

"And what about the Red Lotus?"

"We will deal with them in time – those self-righteous zealots and their false gods can wait."

* * *

YOUNG ERHARD toppled over and fell onto the hard oaken floor of a dim room. His body was covered in bruises and he frowned as he turned to a monk who stood at the entrance of the room. "Now, you think about what you've done."

The door slammed shut, allowing the darkness to set in and Erhard got to his feet, dusting himself. He squinted and looked up, seeing a small window above and he looked around when he saw a girl seated at the corner of the room. She had large green eyes and cherry blonde hair and wore a grey apron and brown dress that was torn at her knees.

"Alana, what're you doing here?" Erhard walked up to her.

"I should be asking you that question." Alana said and Erhard rubbed his black eye. "Don't you care what your brother will say?" She asked

"He's not the boss of me." Erhard sat down. "Besides, he's out for the day, so he'll be back late." He huffed and leaned against the wall. "What're you doing in here? Finally broke one of their rules?" He chuckled then saw her bend her knees toward her chest, closing herself off. "You brought yourself here?"

"Why should I even go out there? They all hate me." She looked down at her feet then raised her brow as he didn't give a response. "You're not saying anything?"

"You seem to like being alone, so what am I going to say?"

"You're such a great friend." She said sarcastically.

"I am aren't I? I offer no friendly advice whatsoever!" He chuckled and saw her smile. "Look, the fact that you're alone means they see something in you that they fear. Embrace it." Alana looked at Erhard then stood up. "What're you doing?" He asked.

"How do you think I got in here the first time?" She drew a key out of her apron. Erhard grinned and followed her up to the door as she unlocked it. "After you, milady," she gestured to the hallway.

"Why thank you, kind lord," Erhard said as he walked passed her and the two laughed. "You don't happen to have the keys to the kitchen, do you?"

"Oh, if only these keys were magical." Alana pocketed them.

Erhard smiled at her and accidentally bumped into someone. "Hey, watch where you're ... oh."

Three tall, older boys stood in their way – the one in the front sporting a cocky grin as he cracked his knuckles. "So, you got out early, Erhard – that's good for us." He stepped forward. "And with a friend too? Must be my lucky day."

"I already beat you down, you bastard." Erhard frowned.

"I guess you can say that, but me and the lads thought, 'why don't we fight him three on one?' sounds fair, right?"

Erhard frowned and stepped back. "Stay out of this, Alana."

The boy in the front tried to punch Erhard and he quickly blocked it, retaliating with a blow of his own that knocked him down. Another boy came up from behind and backhanded Erhard, forcing him to the floor. The three boys stalked toward Erhard and Alana watched, her fists shaking in anger as she couldn't do anything to help him.

Erhard spat out blood and Alana ran toward him, ready to fight when he suddenly raised his hand up, summoning a light mandala. The three boys jerked back in surprise, afraid of the boy who was in shock at what he'd done. Erhard frowned at the trio and energy burst out of the circle, hurtling them against the wall.

The three boys got up and ran off in a panic, leaving Erhard who held his side in pain. "Erhard!" Alana ran up to him and held him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I think so." Erhard grunted and he looked up and saw a monk standing the hallway, looking at him in surprise.

"So, you are one of them?" The man asked.

"One of whom?" Erhard questioned.

"Come with me." The monk walked up to Erhard and swiftly grabbed him by his wrist.

"Hey, where're you taking?"

"Erhard!" Alana tried to follow, but couldn't catch up to the tall man.

* * *

ERHARD TAPPED his foot against the floor as he sat in the office of the monk who moved around and flipped through books. "Forgive my impatience, but what am I doing here?" He asked, trying to hold back his anger.

"Do you know what we do at this monastery?" The monk asked.

"Recruit children so that they do your chores?"

"We open them up to endless possibilities." The monk moved up to him. "We unlock their potential."

"To do what?" Erhard crossed his arms.

"To change the universe." The monk laid down a large book before Erhard.

Erhard looked at the cover and couldn't read its words. "What is this?"

"Have you ever heard of magic? Sorcerers? Spells?" The monk asked.

"You mean folktales? I know that I'm young, but there some things that are too foolish to believe." Erhard said.

"You say that, yet you were able to summon a mandala of light at will, and at such a young age." The monk said.

"What, the light thing? I could sometimes." Erhard shrugged. "Just talent or something – I wouldn't think much of it."

"But you should." The monk stood up. "You're more talented than you know."

* * *

ERHARD SAT on the cathedra in his castle, his mind focussed on the past when his aide called out to him. "Lord Erhard," the young woman walked up to him. "We've just received word from the Table; it appears Arendelle is in peril."

"How so?"

"We just received a raven – the Red Lotus have captured Queen Elsa in Corona." She said.

"Hmm, so they have one half of the Key and Door." Erhard said. "They're about to perform their ritual."

"If they get a hold of Door, they will be able to summon their goddess." She said.

Erhard sifted his mind and walked on. "I must set sail for Arendelle."

"But, my lord, why do we care what happens to the Table? I thought it no longer holds a use for us." She followed him.

"There are much bigger things at play." Erhard said as he walked away.

* * *

ERHARD GLANCED around uneasily as he stood in a large hall amongst a group of boys, each clad in martial arts robes with symbols painted on their forehead. The monk from before paced before them and he yelled out an instruction in Norse, making them assume a martial arts stance.

* * *

"THE KEY to mastering magic is to master the mind and the body." The monk said. "You must train and sharpen your skills – if you cannot control the mind, you will not channel the energy of the cosmos."

He yelled out another instruction and they took on another pose.

* * *

THE BOYS sat in the great hall months later, each of them in the lotus position and facing each other in pairs. The monk yelled out an instruction and one boy from each group summoned a light mandala, its symbols simple yet eloquent. He smiled as he studied them then ordered the others in the pairs to do the same.

They erected magic circles of their own and he was impressed as well, but gasped in surprise as he saw Erhard's. The boy had created three of them, one before the other, each of different shape, size and symbology. The monk was in shock and the other boys were furious.

* * *

YOUNG ERHARD walked down the halls of the monastery, garbed in elaborate robes and moving past other children who eyed him with envy and contempt. He smiled smugly, almost feeding of their hate, and he came up to a corner where he saw Alana.

"Oh, Alana, are you going to the meditation hall?" He asked.

"It's time for lunch." She responded confusedly.

"Well, I'll see you later then." Erhard walked on.

"Erhard, don't you think you're overdoing it a little with your training?" Alana followed him. "I mean, you've skipped your meals three days in a row because of this. What does your brother have to say about this?"

"Andor? He's too busy trying to become a Knight, so he can have fame and fortune in the kingdom." Erhard scoffed. "Besides we're taught to overcome the body – I'm just following their teachings."

"Yes, to overcome it, not starve yourself." Alana grew worried. "You're not even sleeping anymore, are you?" She looked at his darkening eyes. "Are sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Alana," He reached out to her, but stopped himself, "D ... don't worry about me." He looked her in the eye then walked off.

Alana watched him leave longingly and held her hands in worry. Erhard looked down at his palms and saw dark symbols slowly forming on them. His monk walked past him and noticed his palms as well. He smirked.

"Looks like we have one."

* * *

ERHARD BREATHED slowly, focussing on the energy around him as he sat at the top of a cliff at sunset meditating. He thrust his hands forward and opened his eyes, waving them around and slowly collecting energy. He was about to open a portal when he heard someone approaching.

"Alana, I thought I told you I'm busy." He said without opening his eyes.

"You know, if you keep pushing her away like that, you could lose her." A man's voice came. "I really don't understand what she sees in an oaf like you."

Erhard raised his brow and turned to see Andor approach him. "Brother, what're you doing here? Did Alana send you here? When'd you even return?"

"Whoa, relax; I just came to check on you." Andor put his sword aside and sat beside him. "She does worry about you, you know?"

"Well, it matters not." Erhard frowned.

"I've heard that you've excelled in your mastery of the arts."

"Like you care." Erhard frowned. "I've been training for the past few months and I haven't heard a word from you."

"Well, I'm here now." Andor draped his arm over his shoulder. "So, sorcery, huh? How's that going for you?"

"Leave me, I'm busy." Erhard shook his arm off.

"Fine." Andor begun to stand up. "I guess I won't give you the souvenir I obtained battling a basilisk in Gandor."

"You battled a basilisk?!" Erhard said excitedly.

"Ah, interested, are we?" Andor smirked.

"Come on, come on, tell me what happened?" Erhard said with child-like enthusiasm.

"But I thought you were so busy meditating." Andor teased.

"Andor, quit being a bitch and tell me already." Erhard deadpanned.

"Language, young man." Andor ruffled his hair and sat back down. "Well, let's see ... where to begin –," An explosion echoed from nearby. "What was that?"

Erhard and Andor quickly stood up and saw a billow of smoke coming from nearby. "The monastery!" Erhard jerked back.

"Ironically, it did start like that." Andor said.

"Stop quipping, we have to get down there!" Erhard yelled and ran on.

* * *

SCREAMS AND wails filled the halls as fire spread through the monastery and gutted every room. The orphans ran about in a panic in the main hall and monks battled men in dark robes that attacked with a flurry of dark spells. The abbots struggled against the onslaught, but managed to fight them off. However, the tables turned as more assailants burst into the halls, accelerating the building's collapse.

The robed men gathered together and made hand signs, summoning a massive light mandala on the floor and chanted a spell in unison, causing the symbols to spin and light up. Black energy burst forth from the magic circle, entwined with lightning, and blasted the monks, turning their bodies instantly to bone. The children screamed in terror as they were grabbed and Alana ran toward a window, about to escape when a man grabbed her leg.

"You're not going anywhere!" He pulled her down.

* * *

ANDOR AND Erhard rushed into the monastery grounds and were met with horror as corpses were splayed over. Erhard looked around at the rubble that'd spread, wordlessly seeing the home he'd grown in in shambles. He heard screams and ran on.

"Alana, Alana!" Erhard called. "Alana, where are you?"

"Erhard!" Alana screamed from the other room.

"Alana, I'm coming!"

Erhard ran on and rubble crashed in front of him. "Erhard, be careful!" Andor called, but Erhard ignored him and quickly climbed over the pile. "Erhard!" Andor made chase.

Erhard ran through the halls as flaming rocks came crashing down, unconcerned for his safety, and Andor became more and more worried as he struggled to catch up. They arrived in the main courtyard, finding it in shambles and the assailants rushing out with the children. Among them was Alana, struggling to break free from their grasp.

"Alana!" Erhard called.

"Erhard, help!" Alana cried out.

Erhard ran to her and Andor grabbed his arm. "Erhard, we can't save her – they're too many of them!"

"Let go!" Erhard sent out a wave that knocked Andor to the ground and he ran on.

"Erhard!" Andor called, "Erhard!" the younger boy didn't listen. "Erhard, listen to me!"

Andor stood up and panted as he looked around, seeing the invading sorcerers summoned a black magic circle over the monastery that began to gather energy. He started panicking as Erhard went right into the line of fire.

"Erhard!"

"Young man ..." An old, weak voice called out.

Andor turned and saw a monk trapped beneath rubble and he ran up to him, trying to help him up. "Hold on, I'll rescue you."

"No, it's too late for me," the abbot coughed, "take this ..." he held up small, blue gem, "and escape with your brother before it's too late."

Andor received the gem and sifted his mind. "Thank you." He turned and saw Erhard surrounded by four wizards. "Erhard, look out!"

Erhard swung his hand and sent the sorcerers falling back with a wave of electricity, quickly running past them as he drew closer to Alana. The young girl lurched forward and escaped the hold of the sorcerers, sprinting toward Erhard who almost reached her.

"Alana!" He stretched his hand out.

"Erhard!" Alana screamed as well.

Andor watched the chaos all around him and panicked as the wizards drew in on Erhard and Alana. Holding to the gem tightly, he ran up and grabbed Erhard, pulling him away from Alana. "I'm sorry, brother."

"Andor, let go of me!" Erhard struggled.

Andor looked into Alana's eyes, seeing her horror and he cracked the gem, summoning a portal behind him. Erhard reached for Alana, their fingers inches away from each other, and was immediately sucked in as the gateway closed.

* * *

ERHARD LOOKED at his hand and clenched his fist in anger, trying to shake off the memories that flooded his mind as he stood near the guardrail of his ship. A member of the Order approached and he turned to him.

"We have arrived at our destination, Lord Erhard," The man said.

"Good. Prepare to dock." Erhard said and walked passed him. "We have work to do."

* * *

SOUNDS OF explosions and crumbling rocks filled the air as Anna, Sandy, Ai and Merida rushed underneath a bridge in Corona. Merida fired an arrow at a Red Lotus member nearby and looked around in a panic as she heard footsteps above them.

"Great, we're screwed now."

"This wasn't supposed to happen, this wasn't supposed to happen." Ai muttered to herself.

"And what was supposed to happen, huh? Elsa's captured because of you and your bogus plan." Merida frowned.

"We have to go back – they're gonna kill her!" Anna ran on and Ai grabbed her wrist.

"No, they'll get you too."

"Oh, really? Isn't that part of your plan too?" Anna smacked her hand aside. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you from the beginning and now Elsa's gone." Fire erupted from her body.

"Wait, you don't understand – I didn't expect this to happen." Ai backed away.

"Yeah? Why should we believe your sorry ass?" Merida aimed her bow at her. "Give us one reason I shouldn't light ya right here where you stand?"

Sandy ran up before Ai, getting in their way. "You're on her side?" Anna frowned.

Sandy shook his head and looked at the two women, slowly summoning sand on the water ground to separate them from Ai. "Move out of the way, Sandy – I know you're magic, but even your sand would turn to glass." Merida said, drawing back the flaming arrow.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's going on here!?" Jack flew up to them, followed by Tooth and North.

"You light up the flare and you start fighting?" North asked.

"They took Elsa!" Anna said.

"What?" Tooth jerked back.

"We followed Ai's plan to the letter, but were immediately ambushed – this lying bitch definitely set us up." Merida growled.

"Guys, calm down; we won't settle anything like this." Jack moved up between Merida and Anna.

"Jack is right. Look, we're surrounded by the Red Lotus on enemy territory – we don't need to fight each other." North said.

Anna and Merida shared a look and huffed, moving back from Ai. "Okay, what should we do?" Anna asked.

"Maybe you should stop bickering and find a better place to hide." A man said.

The group turned and were met with shock as Erhard landed nearby and approached them. "Erhard?" Anna turned to him.

"We have business to discuss." Erhard said.


	7. Dark Moon

**"DARK MOON"**

RAGE BLAZED within Anna as Erhard approached them, her fires returning as she remembered what had happened the last time they met. "You!"

"Ah, princess, eloquent as always." Erhard said.

Anna screamed and flew up to Erhard with a flaming fist, colliding with his palm as he blocked her calmly and was barely moved. She growled, her body bursting with fire and she threw another punch when he flicked his fingers, hovering her back telepathically and binding her in place. The others tensed up and raised their weapons, ready to fight when Erhard let go and let her fall on the ground.

"I'm not here to fight you." He said plainly.

"I'm not buying it." Jack clasped his cane.

"You bastard!" Merida cried and fired a barrage of arrows at Erhard.

Erhard deadpanned as the arrows deflected against several small magic circles that flickered around him. "When will you learn?"

Anna hesitated and rose to her feet, dismissing her fires. "What do you want?" She asked, making the others reluctantly back down.

"I'm here to help you stop the Red Lotus."

"Oh, not this again," Tooth grumbled.

"No, we can't believe another one of them!" Merida aimed her bow at Erhard.

"The Red Lotus's plans interfere with my own and I see it beneficial to work with you to do so." Erhard said.

"And what are these plans exactly?" North frowned.

"To become a god over this earth and I cannot rule a world that is destroyed." Erhard said simply.

Anna frowned and Tooth raised his brow. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, we're not considering working with this guy, are we?" Her eyes dilated in surprise as Anna hesitated. "His Order killed your parents! You can't trust him!"

"Why would you work with us?" Anna said, holding back her rage. "You're clearly powerful enough to stop them yourself."

"Curiosity has beguiled me." Erhard explained, "Perhaps in this momentous union, I might learn what makes people put their faith in you rulers."

Anna looked to the others who hesitated to speak; Merida's eyes mimicking her own as she considered his words. Sighing, Anna turned to Erhard, "Okay, how do we stop them?"

"Wait, you're working with him?" Jack raised his brow.

"They have my sister, Jack; what choice do I have?"

"That is precisely why I came." Erhard walked up to them. "They are mere moments away from achieving their plan and summoning their goddess Lamia. We'll need to infiltrate the palace and stop the ritual before it's too late."

"Well, we already tried that and that's how we're in this mess." Merida frowned.

"There is a secret underground escape route for the royals that leads to the bay," Erhard said, "If we follow it, we can enter the ritual grounds and stop it."

"How do you know where they're carrying it out exactly?" Tooth looked at him suspiciously.

"I can detect traces of high level magic in this area - if I get closer, I'll know." Erhard turned to her.

Jack glanced at the others and hesitantly sheathed his cane. "Alright, what're we waiting for?" He turned to Erhard. "Lead the way."

The Dragon god nodded and walked onward, leaving the others behind who watched him go on and reluctantly followed. As they left their cover from underneath the bridge, they were ambushed as a group of Earthbenders who surrounded them! Summoning rocks, they began their attack when Erhard waved his arm and summoned a telepathic shield around them, deflecting their projectiles.

Anna and the others watched on, stunned by Erhard's power as he walked on and ignored the boulders flung at him. An earthbender girl ran toward him and stamped her foot on the ground, summoning a trail of jagged rocks toward them which broke apart and smacked against her instead! The other benders backed away in surprise and Anna, Ai and the Guardians followed Erhard, amazed at his handiwork.

Anna's enthrallment ended fast as she still felt disgusted walking beside the murderer of her parents, keeping her eyes sharp to any tricks he'd pull. As she kept a distance however, she felt a sudden dim red light move over her, gasping as she felt the demon within her writhe in anger. Looking to the sky, she froze as the moon above spread a bright blood red luminescence across the heavens, outshining the sun that was still overhead!

"The fuck?" Merida frowned.

"It's the Moon!" North exclaimed.

"What is happening?" Tooth began to panic.

"The ceremony has begun," Erhard said, "Lamia will awaken at any moment!"

"But how? They only have Elsa; don't they need Jack to complete the ritual?" Ai's brows furrowed.

"They do not; they twisted their prophecies to throw off anyone who'd get in their way." Erhard said.

"This can't be." Ai sifted her mind. "They wouldn't have lied to me; I was in the highest rank!"

"This is what they do," Erhard said sternly, "Now hurry, we must go!"

Erhard ran on, quickly followed by Anna and the others while Ai remained behind. The woman looked to the sky, unable to understand what was happening. "Something's wrong."

* * *

LOW CHANTS loudened steadily, cold and repeated as men garbed in red robes circled over a platform in the courtyard of Corona's castle. At its center lay a magic square encircled by four discs inscribed with moon symbolism, esoteric markings and hieroglyphics. Niu watched from a balcony up above the ritual took place, seeing Elsa bound to a pillar at the center of the grounds, her clothes tattered with a large lunar tattoo on her stomach.

Standing beside him were Xiaosi and Guozhi who watched beside him, Xiaosi being nervous as to what'd come of their efforts. Looking to the reddening moon, Niu smiled when the sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts and he turned to see Ai approaching them. He scrutinized her as she arrived, seeing her tattered clothing and stab wounds on her leg.

"Ai." Niu said, unsure.

"Ai?" Xiaosi turned and was caught aback as he saw "Ai! What happened to you?"

"I was captured." Ai panted.

"By whom?" Guozhi eyed her coldly.

"The surviving monarchs of Corona and Arendelle; they wanted to know what our plans were and to figure out our weaknesses, but I wouldn't talk." Ai said.

"And where were they?" Niu walked up to her.

"Niu, we cannot bombard her with questions now; she's injured." Xiaosi tried to say.

"Where are they?" Niu reiterated, rage bubbling in his tone.

"They were on a boat a few miles away from here; I barely managed to escape and found my way over here," Ai said, "They must have soldiers coming after me as we speak."

Niu studied Ai and turned back to the courtyard. "Very well. Clean your wounds and gather men to snuff out those who seek to stop us."

"But, not after the ceremony is over," Ai said, "I wouldn't want to miss what we've worked years to achieve."

"Impressive," Niu smiled over his shoulder, "We must put the cause above all else, even our own well-being. You will reap from your sacrifice, Ai."

Ai nodded and moved closer to Niu, glancing at the floor tiles on the outer rim of the courtyard. Peeking through the spaces between the tiles form underground, Erhard took in their surroundings and gestured for the others to follow, guiding Anna, Merida, Jack, Tooth, North and Sandy through the maze underground.

* * *

A FLARE fizzled to life as Bunny lit up a small ball and walked through a tunnel that opened itself up and went onward, opening a path for him, Kristoff, Eugene and Maximus the horse to follow. The three were cramped in the tiny space - the horse's snout huffing and puffing against Eugene's face and annoying him. Shielding himself from the dust kicked up as Bunny dug onward, the man growled in irritation.

"When the hell are we gonna get out of the ground!?" Eugene screamed.

"Keep it down back there, we're trying to avoid getting caught," Bunny frowned, "Just because we're underground doesn't mean the people who took Balder won't hear anything."

"Yes, but, I have to agree with Eugene here - when **_are_** we gonna get outta here?" Kristoff asked.

"These wizards are high level and could sense someone nearby without even hearing them; we'll have to use unconventional methods if we wanna achieve what we wanna achieve."

"Yeah, but could I do it without being cooped up with this bastard?" Eugene said, getting bit in the ear by Max, "Hey!"

"Hey, what did I say about being quiet," Bunny frowned when a small light glowed from his belt. "Well, hello."

"What is it?" Eugene moved in closer, getting pressed against the wall as Max shoved his head through.

"I think we've found what we're looking for!" Bunny pulled up a black sphere from his belt. "We're under a massive cluster of magic." He looked up. "We're here."

"Alright, let's just -," Eugene tried to say when Maximus kicked the roof of the tunnel and burst through the floor on the other side!

Stunned, Bunny pulled himself out of the magical tunnel and walked onto the floor of the building they were in, seeing the stone walls around them and glass-less windows. Eugene, Kristoff and Maximus came up as well and saw a snowy mountain range in the distance, tensing up as they wondered what they'd find.

"Everybody keep sharp." Bunny said as he looked around. "This is where the trail leads, so Balder must be here, along with whoever captured him."

"Oh man," Kristoff said as he looked up ahead.

Eugene turned to where Kristoff was looking and jerked in surprise as a black sigil with burning red dragon hung from the ceiling. "We're sure here alright."

"The Order of the Nine Stars' Castle." Kristoff frowned.

* * *

PAIN SWAM through her body as Elsa came to, the bleeding light stinging her eyes as she looked to the sky and was immediately met with a sharp pang as the tattoo on her stomach surged with blue energy. The woman thrashed about in agony, trying to break free as the robed men around her summoned magical patterns made of light around her, firing strips of energy into her and torturing her.

Ai was angered by this, but hid it from her expression, turning to Niu. "How is the ritual going to proceed exactly?"

"What do you mean?" Niu turned to her. "Haven't I told you everything?"

"I mean, you said the ritual would need both the Key and the Door to summon Lamia." Ai continued. "I only see the Key."

"It will be all in due time." Niu said.

"Huh?" Ai raised her brow.

"We will soon have the Key in our grasp."

"But, we haven't made any effort to find the Key." Ai squinted, confused.

"Oh, but we already have him." Niu said, "You've come with him, haven't you?"

"What're you talking about?"

"Why'd you lie to us, Ai?" Xiaosi said, his eyes filled with sadness.

"What?" Ai turned to him. "I haven't lied about anything."

"I can tell when you're lying Ai; you've betrayed us." Xiaosi moved up to her, "You're working with the enemy!" He grabbed her by the arm.

"Let go of me!" Ai tried to pull back.

"Those wounds are self-inflicted, Ai." Guozhi looked at her in disappointment. "It was obvious the moment you'd arrived."

"You have come with monarchs from Corona and Arendelle and among them most likely, is the Key." Niu frowned. "You have turned on us."

Ai pulled herself out of his grasp, the confusion in her eye turning into a murderous glare as she stared down him, Guozhi and Xiaosi. "So, what now?"

"Now, you die." Niu ignited a fire in his palm. "Maybe in death you can appease our goddess."

"Wait, don't hurt her!" Xiaosi stood between Niu and Ai.

"What is this?" Guozhi blankly said.

"Xiaosi!" Ai said, confused.

"I won't let you kill my friend!" Xiaosi angrily said.

"No, Xiaosi, don't!" Cried Ai.

"Oh, Xiaosi, you're such a simpleton!" Niu doubled the fire's size and blasted Xiaosi, burning him alive!

"Xiaosi!"

* * *

SNIFFING THE air and looking down the halls up ahead, Bunny led Eugene, Kristoff and Max through the castle. Pulling out a crystal ball from his satchel, Bunny looked into it and saw another hallway in the orb where a few wizards were moving up to a large door. "Seems we've found something here." He smiled.

"Whoa, that's neat!" Kristoff looked at the orb in awe. "How do you do that?"

"Uh, magic?" Eugene said sarcastically.

"Well, I know, but still."

"I've actually seen humans pull this off without magic." Bunny said.

"Really?" Asked Eugene.

"They call it 'science'." Bunny pocketed the orb, searching for another one. "Though I don't know what the difference is honestly."

He pulled out a black ball and twirled it in front of him, letting go of it and making spin in the air on its own where it sparked and turned into a black portal. Kristoff and Eugene watched in amazement as this happened when the rabbit hopped through the gateway, vanishing instantly! They jerked back in shock and quickly looked inside, seeing Bunny fighting the wizards in another hallway!

Leg-sweeping a cloaked mage, Bunny flipped into the air and threw a kick at a wizard who conjured a light disc and fired vines made of energy out of it. While in midair, the rabbit grabbed a ball out of his bag and squeezed it, turning it into a staff which he used to smack the tubes and the magic circle away like nothing. The wizard was caught off by this and Bunny took advantage, whacking him in the face with the pole and landing on his feet.

He grinned at his handiwork, unable to see a sorcerer behind him summon strips of electricity and flung them at him when Max suddenly leaped out of the back portal and kicked him in the face, sending him crashing on the floor! Bunny turned and saw Kristoff, Eugene and Max behind him. "Heh, what took ya so long?"

"Look out!" Kristoff pushed Bunny out of the way and collided with a wizard who swung a sword at him, blocking it with his battle axe.

Pushing the blade away, Kristoff kneed the sorcerer and flipped him over his shoulder, bashing him in the head with the butt of the axe. Eugene jumped into the action as another wizard attacked, rolling out a whip from his belt and lassoing it around his ankles, tripping him over and knocking him out as he landed hard on the back of his head. Seeing the cloaked mages unconscious on the floor, Bunny turned to his main focus; the large door the sorcerers were all going toward.

The door was inscribed with several symbols and spells, giving Bunny an immediate headache as he thought of how he'd break them when he saw that the door was already cracked open. "Well, don't mind if I do." He smiled and pushed the door out wider.

Stepping through the entrance with the others, Kristoff looked into the room, finding it hard to make out anything when he saw two small windows to the snowy outside trickle in light. He smiled slightly as he could finally see clearly when horror filled his expression as he saw Balder shirtless and unconscious, and bound to a blood-stained metal chair with several black daggers stabbed into him!

"Balder …" Kristoff breathed.

"C'mon, we've gotta get him outta there." Eugene ran up to the chair.

Bunny, Kristoff and Eugene went to work, quickly unfastening the binds on Balder's hands and feet and lifting him out of the chair. "Don't worry, Balder; we'll get you back home safe." Kristoff said as he held him up.

"Wait, what about these daggers?" Eugene asked.

"We'll need some place where I can take them off him." Bunny said. "There's probably some magic tied to them, so just yanking them out could kill him."

"Okay, then let's get him outta here." Kristoff said, taking the unconscious man and placing him on Max's back.

As Bunny, Kristoff and Eugene did this however, they failed to notice three black markings that appeared on his back, slowly spreading out to his shoulders.

* * *

COMING TO a stop in the underground catacombs, Erhard looked up through the floor tiles and saw that they were near the ritual grounds where Elsa was being held. Hearing her sister cry out in pain, Anna summoned fire around her arms and levitated to the roof of their path. "I'm going to save her."

"Hold, we cannot act tactlessly or we will be defeated." Erhard stopped her. "If they could defeat her, then they could defeat you as well."

"Then what's the plan?" Anna hesitantly backed down.

"We need to get the Red Lotus' attention off of Elsa so I can break the spell cast upon her." Erhard explained and turned to North, Tooth, Jack, and Sandy. "Which means I will need the combined effort of you four … whatever you four are."

"Wait, but what about the -," Merida tried to speak, but a grunt from Jack suddenly interrupted her as he balled up in pain.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Tooth moved up to him.

He didn't respond to her and started to scream out in agony. "It must be the ritual." North said. "It must be affecting him too!"

"I thought you said they only needed Elsa." Anna turned to Erhard.

"That is what the information I had acquired stated." Erhard answered.

A deep blue aura burst out of Jack and he roared in anger, his eyes white and soulless, and he leapt toward Erhard. The Dragon god stood there blankly and flicked his wrist, sending the rage-fueled man tumbling on the ground. Quickly getting to his feet, Jack looked at the people around him.

"Jack, stop! It's us!" Tooth said, slowly realizing. "He's not recognizing us anymore …"

Jack gritted his teeth and shoot through the roof of the catacombs, drawing the attention of the Red Lotus members above, Niu moving up to the balcony and grinning upon seeing him. Jack hovered in the air and looked around hurriedly, seeing Elsa below and darting across the sky toward her. His body shrank down into a swirl of energy and burst into her stomach, gaining a shrill cry of pain from Elsa who thrashed about more violently.

"Elsa!" Anna cried.

"Seems this calls for a change of plans." Erhard jumped through the hole Jack made and landed before the wizards who were torturing Elsa.

Spreading his arms out, Erhard summoned six magic circles and twirled his limbs, summoning an invisible force that grabbed the men into the air and crushed them into tiny pieces that vanished into thin air! The others, though horrified, quickly followed him up to the surface, Anna quickly flying toward Elsa and North looking up to Niu who was unfazed by their arrival.

"This ends here." Claus frowned.

Erhard and Anna rushed towards Elsa when a burst of white energy blazed out of her, pushing the two back and forcing them to shield their eyes from the intense light! The energy curved and formed a portal behind her that was evenly divided in white and blue and the earth started to shake! The clouds above Elsa twisted and a blood red glow spread out through the sky, covering the landscape!

Powerful winds and blizzards spread outward from her, a thick layer of snow quickly covering the entire terrain and going out seemingly endlessly at incredible speeds! The blood red light illuminating the skies and snowy blizzard went out across the whole world, reaching nearby kingdoms like Berk, far off lands like Dressrossa and the Southern Water Tribe halfway across the globe!

Niu laughed at the horrid sight, looking up to the distorted heavens. "Yes, our goddess has arrived! The day of reckoning is at hand!" He looked down to the Red Lotus members below. "Seize them before they interfere in our plans!"

Nodding, the Red Lotus benders who were around the ritual grounds charged at North, Sandy and Tooth who stood at the ready. "I've been aching for a good fight!" Claus unsheathed his swords and ran on, leaving Tooth behind who looked back at the portal worriedly before joining him and Sandy.

Erhard and Anna failed to move an inch in the blinding and overwhelming energy blazing from Elsa; the Ice Queen writhing and screaming in an inhuman voice as she lurched about. Shutting his eyes, Erhard jumped back and threw up three hand signs, pulling at the air before him and yanking at it, calling upon the invisible force once more to yank Elsa off the wooden pole and rip Jack out of her!

Anna opened her eyes slowly as she felt the energy dissipate and she turned to see Elsa collapsed on the ground beside her. "Elsa!" She cried as she came to her side, lifting her up and seeing that she was unconscious.

Erhard looked to Jack who was out cold on the ground as well and turned to the wooden pole only to see the portal still open! "Curious." He frowned.

A loud rumbling shook through the entire kingdom, stopping the fight between the Guardians and the Red Lotus and turning everyone's attention to the portal. Blue energy spurted violently out of the magical gateway and a gigantic white glowing hand slowly emerged from it! "Oh no …" North said in horror.

"Yes!" Niu cackled as the portal started to expand in size!

Rising slowly out of the gateway, a massive fifty foot tall blue mermaid flew out and soared into the sky. The being was hauntingly beautiful, having dark raven hair, hazel eyes, white arms, a white tail and wearing black straps over her breasts and golden gauntlets that tapered into a claw on her middle finger. Chuckling softly, Lamia, the Moon Demon, curved forward and looked at the people who stood before her, a wicked smile spreading on her face.


	8. Rise of Chaos

**'** **RISE OF CHAOS'**

HIS YELLOW eyes burned brightly as he saw the snow spread over the earth beneath his feat, the red demon's head turning to the skies above as they darkened in the slowly growing storm. He could feel her presence rising, his mind realizing what had happened. "She's awoken! My bride has returned!"

Grinning wickedly, the monster held out his arms and began to absorb the heat in the atmosphere around him, only making the storm worse. He began to step forward and his body started to enlarge with each step, his height reaching fifty feet and casting a dark shadow over the forest around him! Looking to the heavens again, the demon raised his arm and fired a gigantic fireball out of his hands, burning the clouds themselves and causing fire to rain down below!

Watching the world around him burn, the demon turned his focus to Corona "I'm coming for you."

Sethos stepped forth and burst forward at great speeds, spreading his flames over the ground and instantly melting the snow Lamia had summoned! The demon's flames caused immense heat around him as he went, causing the ocean below him to boil and the clouds above to burst into flames! The world fell into chaos as his fires spread, downing planes and aircraft and causing fires in nearby cities!

* * *

"AND THAT is how I met Tooth Grinder." Thor Odinson said to Heimdall as the two walked through a courtyard in Asgard.

"You've told me this story before." The Keeper of the Bifrost said.

"Well, it is a fantastic tale!" Thor insisted. "I could tell it to you again if you want."

"I'd rather you didn't." Heimdall laughed uneasily when his smile died as he felt a dark presence. "Something's wrong."

Waving his hand, Heimdall opened a portal into the Bifrost Bridge and went up to the control platform, quickly followed by Thor. Grabbing hold of the blade, the man looked out into the cosmos and gazed upon the earth, seeing great patches of fire and ice covering its surface! "Great Ancestors of Valhalla!"

"What's happening?" Thor said, holding his hand out and drawing Mjolnir to his side.

"The earth is in great peril that'll soon spread into the cosmos." Heimdall said shakily. "A great devil has awakened and is devouring the planet!"

"From Muspelheim? But I thought that realm was sealed away." Thor became puzzled.

"Wherever it's from, it's gaining power with every passing moment." Heimdall turned to him. "You need to put a stop to this before it's too late."

* * *

TOOTH FAIRY shrank and flew back from a volley of rocks flung at her from an earthbender, zipping through the battlefield as she and the Guardians fought the Red Lotus. Merida shivered as Lamia's snow began to freeze the palace courtyard, getting warmed up by Sandy who covered her in a layer of sand. "Shit, how're we gonna stop this thing?" She looked to the monster, getting a shrug from Sandy who popped a symbol above his head. "Yeah, I don't know what you're saying." She deadpanned.

Shrugging, Sandman joined the others as they battled, shifting his dust and two fireballs from a firebender and firing a massive blast at them, burying them instantly!

"Man, these guys don't know how to quit, do they?" Tooth huffed.

"Well, I wouldn't expect these zealot bastards to give up so easily." North said. "But we must defeat them now before Lamia becomes stronger."

Sandy nodded, turning to the mermaid demon as she floated behind them when a pool of water suddenly collected around his feet and froze him solid! "Sandy!" Tooth cried.

Four Red Lotus members rose from the mound of sand Sandman had created, the waterbenders among them turning it into mud that they bent around them. "You're not going to get our way." One of them said. "Our goddess will rule this world."

"Think again!" North said, throwing one of his swords into an airbender's arm and charging towards the attackers!

Summoning the blade back to him, the old man weaved through a barrage of air blasts from the benders, slicing through the air and sending them back with greater force, knocking them back. He leapt into the air and came crashing down toward the Red Lotus members, cutting through a massive boulder chucked at him from an earthbender and stabbing him in the gut.

Tooth flew up to Sandman and began to defrost him, glancing back at Erhard and Anna who stood beside Elsa and Jack who laid unconscious on the ground. Stepping away from the red-haired woman, Erhard moved up to Lamia, looking to the sky and seeing the fires starting to spread.

"It seems you're not alone." Erhard said plainly.

"And who might you be, human." Lamia looked down at him.

"I'm here to seal you away for good." Erhard replied.

Lamia cackled loudly, making the earth below tremor. "Leave me, insect." She looked to the sky. "This planet's reckoning has come."

Erhard huffed. "Demons, they're all the same."

Pressing his hands together, the wizard summoned nine Norn Stones and thrust his arm forward, sending the rocks to surround Lamia and plant themselves into the ground. "What the?" Lamia raised her brow, grunting as a powerful force pinned her down, drawing out pained screams. "What is this!?"

"The power of the Asgardian gods!" Erhard threw up a hand sign, causing an intricate magic circle to appear beneath her.

"But how? How can a human be this powerful?" Lamia struggled against the pull of the stones.

"You're mistaken." Erhard's eyes came aglow. "I'm no mere man."

Erhard levitated into the air, summoning a magical shield that covered the demon and began to electrocute her! Anna watched in awe as this happened, jerking back as she felt Elsa stirring in her arms. "Ugh, where am I?" Elsa squinted as she came to.

"Elsa!" Anna exclaimed and hugged her sister tightly. "I thought you were dead!"

"What happened?" Elsa looked around, seeing her clothes tattered around her mid-riff and seeing Erhard floating up ahead. "What the? What's he doing here!?"

"He's here to help; he saved you and Jack." Anna smiled. "It's okay."

"No, no, no, it's not okay!" Elsa quickly stood up, running her hand over her body and fixing her clothes. "We can't trust this son of a –," She tried to say, but suddenly fell to her knees, coughing out blood.

"Elsa!" Anna came to her side. "What's wrong?"

"The Red Lotus' ritual must've taken a lot out of me." Elsa wiped her mouth. "So, this's what their plan was, wasn't it." She looked to Lamia. "Never thought she could be defeated so easily."

Meanwhile from the balcony of the palace, Niu looked on in horror as the Red Lotus members were defeated below and Erhard brought Lamia to her knees. "This's impossible!"

"It seems we never accounted for the god of Dragons interfering with our plans." Guozhi said, turning to Niu. "What should we do?"

Niu sifted his mind, trying not to let his anger get the best of him. "Scramble all the benders; we'll kill them all right now!" He threw his coat aside. "I'll deal with the Dragon god myself."

"Wait," Guozhi turned around, seeing Xiaosi's corpse on the floor. "Where is Ai?"

Niu turned and realized that the woman had vanished, growling in anger when a massive blast of fire blazed past, knocking him off his feet and burning half of the palace, racing straight toward Erhard! The wizard raised his brow as he sensed this and conjured up an energy shield around him, getting knocked back immediately as the fireball crashed onto him and exploded, destroying the square in a massive explosion!

Anna grunted as she shielded Elsa, Jack, the Guardians and Merida with her own fire, dismissing the flames and seeing the area ablaze! Looking through the blazing heat, the princess squinted and saw the gigantic fire demon almost twice Lamia's height standing over Erhard who was groveling on the ground!

The fire demon eyed Erhard with blood thirst, seeing Lamia lying in pain on the ground and feeling his rage boil. "Who dares lay a hand on my bride?!" He bellowed.

"Sethos!" Lamia recognized his voice, turning to the demon who stood in a cloud of smoke and burned the very atmosphere around him. "You've returned!"

"Well, shit." Erhard coughed out blood, struggling to stand. "I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly."

"You humans have always interfered since the very beginning!" Sethos growled, noticing the insignia on Erhard's cloak. "The Order of the Nine Stars have sealed us away for millennia, but no longer." He raised his arm, charging fire through it. "Prepare to die!"

Elsa jerked up as Sethos moved to kill Erhard, failing to believe herself as she was about to try and save the man who killed her parents, when a massive ball of water exploded out of the earth, pushing Sethos and Lamia aside and extinguishing the fires that filled the courtyard instantly! Standing in the raging waters was a large dark-skinned man clad in dark clothing with tribal face paint and deep red eyes.

"Heh, Zhu Rong, you took a while." Erhard got to his feet, adjusting his clothes as he saw the flames around them extinguish.

"I had assumed you could handle the demons on your own, seems I was mistaken." Zhu turned to him.

"He simply caught me off guard; I can take care of him as well." Erhard retorted.

"You'd better not disappoint me then." Zhu looked to Sethos. "I was making sure we could awaken the Inhumans who'd been in hiding in the kingdoms of the Table."

"So, a Son of the Moon has come to interfere in our plans as well." Lamia chuckled, rising into the air. "I'll see to it that our millennia-long rivalry ends here!"

Thrusting her arm forward, Lamia sent a line of massive icicles at Zhu who dashed out of the way and sped towards her on a sliver of ice. Drawing water from the atmosphere around him, the man channeled a wave that he sent over the ground, sweeping up the Norn runes and encircling the mermaid demon in the magic circle again! Lamia writhed in pain and fell to the ground as the magical binds came over her once more, enraging Sethos.

"Get away from her!" Sethos conjured a sword of fire.

Erhard intercepted the demon, running on air on light discs and creating massive magic runes around the monster that held him back! Sethos struggled against the pull of the binds and the Dragon god reacted quickly, summoning two massive rune stones on the temples of the demon that snuffed out the fires around him! The monster roared in pain and fell to his knees, causing the intense fires in the kingdom to fizzle out!

"Whoa …" Anna marveled as Zhu Rong and Erhard bound the demons in magical spells.

Jack Frost groaned as he came to consciousness, looking onward and seeing what was happening. "Wait, is that Lamia?" He breathed in shock.

Erhard wove his hands and set up a ring of magical symbols that floated above Sethos, linking them to six rune stones that lay on the ground on the rim of a transmutation circle! Erhard looked to Zhu Rong, seeing that they'd restrained the demons, and the two shared a nod, raising their hands and erecting two pillars before the monsters. Anna, helping Elsa stand, moved up to the two wizards along with Jack, looking at their handiwork.

"Whoa, I didn't think you could pull it off." Anna said. "You're actually helping people."

"I still don't trust him." Elsa frowned.

"Who is she?" Zhu Rong raised his brow.

"Nobody." Erhard said, looking to the princesses. "You should leave, it's not safe here."

"What do you mean? You're banishing them, right?" Anna asked.

Jack looked at the runic symbols on the seals around the two demons, frowning and summoning his staff. "They're not sealing them away, they're sapping their power!"

"Wait, what?"

Erhard sighed. "I should've offed you the moment I found the moon spirit." He thrust his hand at them, knocking the three back with a powerful telekinetic force. "Finish draining them for me, this won't take long." He waved his arms down, erecting a magical barrier around Zhu Rong and the two demons, moving toward Elsa, Anna and Jack.

"Why did you work with him?" Elsa turned to Anna.

"We couldn't get through all the benders around the kingdom and we were running out of time, what was I supposed to do?" Anna replied.

"Not work with the psycho that killed our parents!" Elsa yelled.

"Look out!" Jack cried, summoning a wall of ice and colliding with Erhard who flew at them with a punch. "You're not gonna get away with this." He struggled with the wizard.

"Oh, we already have." Erhard said blankly, teleporting behind Jack and grabbing him by the neck, smashing him against the earth!

"Jack!" Tooth cried as she saw this, quickly flying toward the two.

"Reign of Chains: Snake Pit!" Erhard slapped his hands on the ground, summoning massive magical chains that flew toward Tooth!

Tooth swerved out of the way and Elsa rose into the air, firing ice on the ground and sending a line of frost swords toward Erhard! Erhard blew them away with a telekinetic blast, failing to notice Jack who smacked him aside with his staff, sending him flying! The wizard crashed on the ground, trying to get to his feet when Sandy bound him in a tomb of sand, manacling him tightly!

"Not so powerful when you're outnumbered, huh?" Anna lit her arms ablaze.

"Your ignorance continues to astound me." Erhard lamented. "Reign of Lies: Bloodsoak!"

Sandy raised his brow in confusion when a pure black humanoid figure appeared behind him and stabbed his back with its bare hand! Sandman grunted, letting go of Erhard, and knocked the being away with a sand whip, falling to his knees as his wound started to blacken! Tooth flew in to help him when another black figure appeared behind her and fired a dark arrow out of his palm, shooting her out of the sky!

"What's going on here?" Jack clenched his scepter, looking around and seeing several black figures rise out of the earth!

"They must be Erhard's." Elsa assessed. "Don't let them touch you!"

A magical chain burst from the earth and wrapped around the Ice Queen, pulling her down into the earth and stopping her from summoning spells! Anna fired at the shackle, destroying it instantly and jumped back as a black figure swung at her, mere inches from grabbing her arm! The woman charged fire between her palms, ready to attack when Erhard appeared behind her!

"One Thousand gods: god Extinction!" Erhard cast a spell, forging a white sword of pure energy and slashing her across her back, drawing blood!

Erhard watched as the Guardians fought his dark doppelgangers, preparing to cast another spell when a Snow Hound pounced on him, biting into his shoulder and drawing blood! The wizard cut the beast down and rolled to his feet, seeing Elsa summoning several ice creatures to battle his shadows! He frowned in anger and the Ice Queen descended, conjuring her scepter and charging at him!

Elsa and Erhard collided and locked weapons, sending out a powerful shockwave that shook the whole courtyard! "It seems you are of Juton origin." Erhard noted. "No matter, you'll fall all the same."

"Yeah? I'd like to see ya try!" Elsa pushed him back.

Elsa knocked Erhard's blade aside and swung at him thrice, missing the mage who weaved through her attacks and stabbed her! She pushed forward however, punching him in the face and send him flying several feet back! The wizard quickly looked up, frowning in surprise as Elsa's midsection had turned to ice and she slowly turned back to normal.

"You don't know who you're messing with." Elsa frowned. "I'm not as weak as before."

Erhard huffed at this, confusing Elsa who failed to notice a dark doppelganger come up behind her and stab her in the back, spreading its darkness through her! Elsa spat out blood and fell to her knees, causing the ice creatures she summoned to instantly melt as she groveled in pain. Erhard got to his feet and clasped his hands together, causing the chains to rise out of the ground and wrap around the Guardians, Elsa, Anna and Merida, pinning them down!

"You're not worth my time." Erhard dismissed his sword, walking toward Zhu Rong. "How far are you?"

"Mere moments away." Zhu Rong said, looking at Lamia and Sethos. "Soon, their power will be ours." He drew out a wooden branch from his pocket.

"Is that from Darren the Ancient Sleeper?" Erhard asked.

"It took me a while to obtain this." Zhu Rong stabbed the wood into the ground. "With this, the demons will be sealed away from the past and present."

"Excellent." Erhard smiled. "Now, let's –,"

An aurora beam shot down from the sky between Erhard and Zhu Rong, knocking the two wizards down and drawing the attention of the others! Erhard held his arm over his eyes, confused until he saw a tall armored figure with a cape stepping out of the light. "No …" He breathed in shock.

"Fear not, mortals." The Asgardian charged electricity through his hammer. "For Thor has arrived."


	9. Hard Choices

**HARD CHOICES**

ANNA LOWERED her arm as the bright light diminished, her gasping as she looked on in awe at the god of Thunder standing a few feet up ahead. Lightning surged through Thor's hammer as he took in his surroundings, looking at Erhard and Zhu Rong and recognizing Sethos and Lamia who were bound by the powerful Norn Stones.

Elsa and the others recuperated from the sudden flash of light, realizing the god had arrived. "I-is that Thor?" Elsa squinted.

"I thought he was a myth." Anna said.

"Oh, there's a lot more to that myth." Jack got to his feet.

"Well, I'll be …" North smiled slightly.

"Leave now, I will handle this." Thor spun Mjolnir and fired a bolt of lightning into the sky!

An intense cold quickly swept in as the weather drastically changed, dark clouds amassing above Thor as heavy rain began to pour! Sethos' fires and Lamia's ice was quickly washed away by the storm and Thor paced around Erhard and Zhu Rong, charging lightning through his hammer!

"Wait, wait, wait, what's a god doing here?" Anna asked. "And why'd it rain all of a sudden?"

"I don't think this's the right time to sit around asking questions." Jack looked to the sky, seeing lightning streak across violently above.

"You, wizard, how did you acquire those Norn Stones?" Thor demanded.

"I have my ways." Erhard watched him carefully. "I had not anticipated your arrival, Odinson."

"There's a lot you hadn't accounted for here, Erhard." Zhu Rong huffed. "I guess I'll have to handle this myself." He opened a large portal behind Sethos and Lamia!

"Stop right there!" Thor flew toward Zhu Rong, only to clash with Erhard who got in his way.

"You're not going to get in our way." Erhard said, glancing back and seeing Zhu Rong vanish with the demons.

"Heimdall had requested I be lenient so we can ask questions later, but if you must resist." Thor's eyes burst with energy! "Then I won't hold back!"

Thor smacked Erhard's arm aside and swung at him with his hammer, clashing with a light shield as the wizard quickly blocked the attack! The god's attack overpowered him instantly however, knocking him several meters back, leaving behind a sonic boom and hurtling him into the far off mountains! Spinning Mjolnir, the Asgardian flew off, blowing back Elsa and the others who nearly fell over!

"Well, shit." Merida said, jerking back as lightning struck nearby!

* * *

ERHARD PUSHED a rock aside and wheezed as his body was covered in cuts, looking up and seeing Thor coming down in a wave of lightning. The mage teleported into the air and threw up three hand signs, creating a magical seal and firing magical chains at the god. Reacting quickly, Thor smacked the shackles aside, lunging at him!

Erhard swerved out of the way, letting Thor crash to the ground with a swing of his hammer, breaking up the rocks and causing a volcano to explode nearby! Erhard frowned as he saw this while hovering, looking downward and seeing lightning surging through the Thunder god who slowly rose to his feet.

"Gods, demons and hordes of villains – I've been fighting day and night to keep the earth safe since the Convergence and just when I can catch a break, you bastards try and summon all-powerful demons to destroy everything." Thor turned to him. "I'll show you what happens when you anger a god!"

Erhard looked around as the rain intensified, realizing that the storm was covering the entire planet! He sifted his mind when it hit him, bringing a wide grin to his face as he looked back at Thor. "It seems restraint is not an option here, is it." The wizard eyes glowed red and he slammed his hands together, summoning a massive magic circle before him. "Ersyx!"

A dark mist burst out of the magic circle and shrouded Erhard, creating a dark cloud around him that spread out rapidly! Thor readied himself as this happened, squinting in confusion as he heard beastly roars coming from the haze! Erhard cut through the darkness with a newly fashioned black blade, revealing an army of mist dragons behind him!

"Parlor tricks won't faze me, human." Thor mocked.

"Oh, it's more than mere trickery, Asgardian." Erhard smirked. "Let me show you why I'm called the god of Dragons!" He pointed his blade forward, sending the dragons charging at him!

Thor collided with the beasts that swarmed over him like a wave, smacking them aside one after another with his weapon as the surrounded him! Kicking a beast away, the god twirled his hammer and chucked it up ahead, smashing through a mist lizard like butter! Mjolnir charged onwards on its own, mowing down enemies and spinning around Thor, creating a circle of lightning around him!

Thor looked around and counted the dragons around him, not looking at Erhard who slashed down at him with his sword! The god blocked the attack with his bare arm, knocking the blade aside and grabbing the wizard by the neck, driving him into the earth! Summoning lightning from the sky, the Asgardian threw a punch at the mage who barely blocked, still getting smashed through the rock and sent crashing into the underground!

The god unleashed a barrage of lightning infused punches on the mage who struggled to block them all, flipping the two over and slashing him downward with his blade! Burrowing through hundreds of rocks, the god smashed through the roof of an underground cave and crashed onto the waters below! Erhard descended into the cave, looking below and seeing bubbles on the surface of the river.

Thor rose from the depths and coughed out blood, sitting on the surface like it was solid ground and seeing a gash across his chest. Erhard smiled upon seeing this, descending and standing on the water. "So, gods do bleed."

Thor laughed. "Wouldn't be the first time." He rose to his feet, cocking his neck. "Let's try that again." He loosened his fists and took a fighting stance. "Come at me."

Raising his bow, Erhard sliced the air before him, sending out a wave of dark energy that cut through the water! Thor dodged the attack and ran toward him at immense speeds, landing a powerful right hook that nearly knocked Erhard over! Catching himself, the wizard retaliated with a series of swings, barely missing the god who avoided each of them deftly.

Thor blocked a swing of the blade and pushed it aside, punching Erhard three times in the chest and gave him a swift uppercut to the jaw, sending him flying back! The wizard toppled over on the water and slid to his feet, grunting as blood filled his mouth. Enraged, Erhard raised his hand, conjuring six dark doppelgangers around Thor.

Thor scoffed. "More parlor tricks."

Thor wove his arms slowly in a circle before him and parted them, sending lightning into the river around him! The water shifted violently and large bubbles rose into the air, being shaped by the electricity that swirled around them! Forging several spikes, the god flung his arms forward, impaling all the clones at once and destroying them instantly!

"Ha, what else do you got?" Thor turned to Erhard only to get stabbed in the shoulder as the mage charged at him, digging him to the wall of the cave!

Erhard grabbed the god's face and pinned him down, piercing the blade further into his flesh! "I've trained myself to kill gods for centuries, Asgardian!" Erhard growled, spurting out large wings that spread from his back. "You think a little lightning is enough to defeat me?"

Erhard summoned four magic circles behind him, ready to go for the kill when he heard a loud thunderclap from above that halted him, turning around to see Mjolnir come crashing through the roof of the cave! The weapon flew into Thor's hand and he sprung to life, grabbing Erhard by the neck and dislodging the blade from his shoulder, tossing him aside.

"All-Fathers, give me strength!" Thor proclaimed, summoning lightning from above that tore through the roof of the cave like paper!

Erhard rose to his feet and looked to the sky, gasping as an immense light aurora shone in the skies above and the clouds gathered in a circle. Seeing electricity surge through the waters around him, the mage frowned. "Seems our battle will have to end here." He summoned a portal behind him and vanished with it!

Thor's eyes dilated as he saw this, dismissing the lightning and looking around. "Heimdall, where is he?"

"I can't see him anywhere." Heimdall said.

"What do you mean you can't see him?"

"I watched your battle closely Odinson." The Watcher said. "He's gone."

"Bastard!" Thor yelled in anger.

ELSA, ANNA, Merida and the Guardians roamed around the palace throne room as the recuperated, North speaking to Sandy near the doorway and Tooth treating Jack's wounds. "Are you sure you're okay?" The fairy weaved particles of light over a cut on his forehead, stitching it shut.

"I told you, I'm alright. Thanks." He said, gaining a small smile from her.

Nodding to Sandman, North returned to the others. "Sandy's searched the entire city; the Red Lotus' leaders are nowhere to be seen."

"Ugh, you've got to be kidding me." Elsa frowned.

"Well, at least we stopped their plans." Anna said.

"Yeah, I guess."

"But, what about Erhard?" Merida asked.

"He left the known universe." Thor said as he appeared before them, walking toward the two sisters who sat by the throne.

"Wait, you didn't defeat him?" North said.

"No, friend Nick." Thor said.

"Well, we need to find him now." Jack stood up.

"Did you not hear me, ice man, he left the known universe." Thor frowned. "There's no way of finding him that I know of."

"Well, now what?" Merida asked.

"Now, I'll have to take you down." Thor pointed his hammer at Anna. "Fire Demon."

"Huh?" Anna raised her brow in confusion.

"I'll have to consult my father on how we shall deal with the Dragon god and his cohort, but before then, I must ensure earth is safe from threats." Thor said. "And that includes you."

"Hold on, what are you talking about here?" Merida asked.

"That woman is a demon from Muspelheim." Thor looked to the Guardians. "I'm sure you have sensed that as well."

"I have, but she doesn't seem to pose a threat." North said.

"I cannot take that chance." Thor charged lighting through his hammer.

"Stop, there's a misunderstanding." Elsa moved up to him. "She's my sister, she's not dangerous."

"A Frost Giant is siblings with a Fire Demon? What's going on here?" Thor frowned.

"Our father was a Frost Giant and our mother was a Fire Demon, but they weren't a threat to the earth and neither are we." Elsa explained.

Thor studied the woman. "Alright." He put Mjolnir aside. "But she has to come with me; there's a dark power rising in her that we must purge and I'm sure Asgard's archives will have solution."

Elsa raised her brow and turned to Anna, sifting her mind.

* * *

ELSA, ANNA, Merida and the Guardians walked through the doors of Arendelle's palace a few days later after receiving a welcome from the kingdom's citizens, finding Easter Bunny, Eugene, Max and Balder waiting for them inside. "Balder!" Elsa smiled, running up to him.

"Elsa, you're alright!" He said, embracing her.

"I should be the one saying that." She held him tightly. "What happened?"

"We ran into members of the Nine Stars who attacked Rapunzel and Eugene and I got captured, but I'm fine now." Balder said.

"You sure they didn't do anything to you?" She pulled back.

"We took him to the healers and I did a few scans while he was out, there's nothing wrong with him." Bunny explained.

"Except for a couple strange tattoos on him." Eugene added.

"What?" Elsa raised her brow.

"They must've been placed by the Order when they tried to sacrifice me or something, but if Bunny says I'm fine, then I believe him."

Elsa frowned at him, unconvinced. "Well, since everything's fine, I'll go back to Dunbroch."

"Yeah, we'll have to return to our duties as well." Tooth said.

"Aw, already?" Anna turned to them.

"Yes, our assistance must end here." North said. "We have a job to protect the earth."

"Ah, well." Bunny stretched. "At least I won't miss this guy." He walked past Max who frowned at him.

"Well, we appreciate your aid." Balder said.

"We can't thank you enough." Elsa said.

"You can thank us by keeping your heads." Merida turned to them. "Don't wanna hear you got beheaded one of these days. If you die, I'll kill you myself."

"Okay, I think." Anna laughed uneasily.

"Use this to contact us if you need any help and we'll be here as soon as we can." North drew out a dial from his pocket and handed it to Elsa.

"We'll be seeing ya." Jack headed out the door.

Elsa smiled as Merida and the Guardians headed out the door, her smile fading as she, Kristoff, Anna, and Balder remained. "Man, how many times is this kinda thing gonna keep happening." Kristoff said, rubbing the back of his head. "I need a raise."

"But, you're the prince." Anna said.

"I don't know, maybe a new coat or something."

"Well." Anna smiled, moving up to him and whispering in his ear.

Kristoff's eye dilated as she spoke, clearing his throat. "Okay, that works." Anna giggled.

"What should we do, Anna?" Elsa asked.

"About what?" Anna turned to her. "Oh, that …"

"What're you talking about?" Kristoff asked.

"Thor the god of Thunder came to our aid and fought Erhard as he tried to absorb Lamia's power for himself and he sensed a dark power taking over Anna." Elsa began. "He said he'd help us get rid of it if we went with him to Asgard."

"Oh, okay …" Kristoff said, stunned at this. "Wait, what's taking over Anna?"

"He says that it's most likely a demon from Muspelheim." Elsa replied. "It must be what causes her to lose control from time to time."

"How long has this been going on?" Kristoff turned to Anna.

"I've been feeling this for a while now, but I didn't know what it was." Anna said.

"For how long would you be gone?" Balder asked.

"No, no one's going anywhere." Kristoff said.

"Kristoff, c'mon." Anna turned to him.

"We just barely survived taking on the Red Lotus and you're gonna go off to who knows where?" Kristoff said. "How do you know it's safe?"

"Going to Asgard is probably the only way to free Anna from what's taking over her." Elsa said. "I think we should take the chance."

"But," Kristoff looked at the others, seeing Balder remaining silent. "Don't tell me you agree with this."

Balder tried to think.

* * *

MEANWHILE IN the Southern Isles, Hans entered the hall after having a meeting with his advisors, feeling the strains of hours of planning and discussion. His mind raced with thoughts over how the kingdom would recover from the attacks that transpired and how the insurrectionists and moles in his own government would be weeded out.

Trying to clear his mind, he headed into his room when he saw Ai standing by the window. "You …"

"It seems your kingdom's managed to recover after the Red Lotus attacked." Ai turned to him. "I'm sorry, for everything."

"You let me live when you attacked my ship." Hans realized. "Why?"

"I've made many mistakes and let other people dictate what my life should be, but no longer." Ai said.

"Well … what do you want with me?"

"I came to apologize, though I know it is not enough for the lives that I've taken." Ai said. "I have to make things right."

Hans thought this over, moving up to her. "Why not come with me? I can help you fix things without you being thrown in the dungeons." He offered. "You have the potential for good, you deserve a second chance."

"I'm sorry, I can't." She headed for the window when he held her hand, halting her.

"Why not try at least?" Hans said. "I can help you."

Ai looked into Hans' green eyes, getting lost in them as she felt his warmth and sincerity gleam through them. She moved in and kissed him deeply, caressing his face, and stepped away from him, entering the balcony. Looking back at him one last time, Ai leapt off the rail, shocking Hans who ran after her. He looked down into the street below and saw that she'd vanished, looking out into the kingdom and wondering where she went.

* * *

BALDER LOOKED at Thor curiously as he stood a few feet ahead in the valley. "Are you sure that's him?" He asked. "Thought he'd be gigantic."

"Yes, I'm sure." Elsa said. "He was quite powerful."

"Huh?" Balder nodded, unable to process it all.

Anna, who was a few feet behind the two, held Kristoff's hands shut as she gave him her locket. "Hang on to this for me till I get back, okay?" She looked up at him.

"Please, try to be safe, alright?" Kristoff said.

"I'll be fine." She smiled slightly. "I promise."

Kristoff nodded slightly, still unconvinced, and Anna pressed her lips against his, moving up to Elsa and Balder. "We'll be sure to visit if we can, so don't worry about us." Elsa said.

"I know you'll be alright, Elsa, I trust you." Balder smirked. "I'm a good trainer."

Elsa punched his shoulder, holding back a smile. "Just make sure you don't wreck the kingdom while I'm gone."

"Heh, please." Balder scoffed.

Elsa chuckled slightly and sighed. "Promise me you'll be alright, okay?"

"I will." Balder nodded.

Looking him in the eye, Elsa kissed Balder goodbye and looked to Thor, glancing to Anna who stood beside her. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. "Okay, let's go." The two walked on.

Balder watched as the two women met up with the god up ahead, disappearing into the Bifrost that nearly blinded him. He moved his arm down as he shielded his eyes, seeing his skin start to blacken! "What the …?"

* * *

YEARS AGO in 1946, Vandal Savage turned off a holographic monitor in a small windowless room and headed into the hallway, smiling as he saw Zhu Rong and Erhard approaching him from another room. "You've finally arrived." The large man extended his hand to the mage.

"Yes, everything went according to plan." Erhard shook his hand. "The demons Lamia and Sethos are in our custody and have been sealed away from all timelines."

"And the Mark of the Moon has taken hold of the Four Bending Nations." Zhu Rong said. "The Eternal Men has what it needs to move forward with our plans."

Vandal Savage grinned. "Excellent."

* * *

IN THE present, a dark cosmic being watched the three men speaking from a far off nebula in space, watching projected feeds from earth from different time periods. He watched for countless years as events progressed, as many worlds converged with the earth and many powerful beings took up positions of power.

"All this chaos, unending, seems to pile up on this one planet alone." The being lamented. "For the sake of all reality, I must annihilate the earth."

* * *

 **And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed the book.**

 **In case you didn't know, the RealDone Universe is, as the name suggests, a massive interconnected universe that spans over multiple books with an ever expanding story. Think of it as a mini Marvel Cinematic Universe.**

 **If you're interested in checking out more books, we'd suggest checking out our Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, Fairy Tail fanfics. If you're interested in any of our other works or what to know the order, check out our bio for more information. Thanks for reading.**


End file.
